


The Boy Who Runs with Wolves

by Shadow1879



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Derek, Derek Hale & Scott McCall are step Siblings, First Time, Hale Pack, Jealous Derek, M/M, Possessive Derek, Slow Build Derek Hale/Stiles Stilinski, Top Derek Hale/Bottom Stiles Stilinski, sterek
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-12
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2019-03-30 10:30:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 22,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13949688
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shadow1879/pseuds/Shadow1879
Summary: Stiles and Scott have always been best friends. Seriously, since they were in pre-school it has always been just them. Or it was just them. That was before Scott's Mom got remarried to a man who is not only a werewolf but also comes with a pack. The leader of which a arrogant asshole who thinks he can control Stiles' life. And it that wasn't bad enough now Scott just wants Stiles to hang with all of them. One human among eight werewolves. Yeah, what could go wrong?





	1. Movie Night

“Come on Stiles, you haven’t gone out with us in like, forever!”

Stiles rolled his eyes at Scott, he couldn’t help it. He really couldn’t, at this moment Scott was sprawled across stiles bed, arm thrown over his head acting like the world was coming to an end, which it wasn’t not even close.

Now don’t get him wrong, he did understand Scott’s argument. It had been quite a while since Stiles had hung out with him, but he had a good reason!

He did!

And it had nothing to do with the fact that the last three times Scott had asked to go out, he consequently also invited his step brother. His arrogant, strong, attractive step brother.

Really it didn’t!

Last week he had to reorganize his room and then there was his drawers that needed going through, and of course then the rest house needed cleaning. He was a busy guy!

That lead him to today, sitting at his desk chair trying to come up with a good enough excuse to not have to spend the night with Mr. Perfect and his followers, but he could tell Scotty was not buying it. Especially since he wanted to go to the Beacon Hills Theater tonight to see a movie that Stiles had been talking nonstop about all week.  
  


"Scott, I told you I just can’t tonight.” exasperation was dripping from his voice, but it wasn’t genuine.

The young werewolf took his arm of his eyes and leaned up on his elbow, narrowing his eyes at the human, “So, if I told you that Derek wasn’t going to go tonight….”

Stiles looked up from his desk, where he was picking at a red paint stain. He copied Scott’s expression, having learned from the past that just because Scott had said that, it didn’t mean that it was true. So, he stayed on the defensive trying to keep his face neutral, his heart steady, and his voice firm.

“I would say that I am still busy tonight.”

Scott let out growl and sat up completely on Stiles bed, hands scrubbing through his shaggy hair, “Come on Stiles, what am I supposed to do? Derek just moved into town and I haven’t seen him in six months. Why can’t you just come with us to the movies?”

  
Ah, you see, there it is, Stiles felt his heart drop in his chest. He had been right; Scott had invited Derek.

  
Looking away, Stiles turned his chair back towards his desk and away from Scott, he focused on the Deadpool cover he had on his computer, “I’m busy Scott…”  
He let the sentence hang, knowing exactly what Scott was going to do.

  
From behind him, he heard a growl then Scott’s footfalls as he walked out of the room, followed by the door slamming closed. Stiles winced as the hinges rattled from the force of the slam, but otherwise didn’t move. He stayed where he was solely focused on his computer which was an actual feet within its self. With his ADHD, it used to be very difficult for him to focus on anything for very long, but then Scott got bit and their town became a literal beacon for the supernatural.  
So, Stiles learned to focus.

  
Not that Scott noticed or really anyone.

  
His dad noticed but that was it.

  
The thought of his dad made him smile and shake himself out of his trance. Mr. Stilinski was the reason Stiles was busy tonight. he was going to make dinner for his Dad. Like an actual dinner. One that didn’t involve anything in a box or a can…. or involved reading a menu.  
The grin stayed on his face as he trudged down the stairs and into the kitchen. As he started to prepare dinner he allowed himself to fall back into his trance as he sliced veggies and cooked chicken. That was another thing that Scott didn’t know.

  
Stiles could cook.

  
Granted lately he really hadn’t had the time, what with school and fighting Creature every weekend, but before all that had happened… When Stiles wasn’t sleeping over at the McCall house or Scott was sleeping at casa le Stilinski, Stiles would have normally cooked dinner for his overworked father. The smile slipped form his face, as he recalled all the healthy dinners he had put together for his father in an attempt to show him eating healthy wasn’t so bad. That seemed so long ago.

  
Now the normal was takeout in the living room, but Stiles was trying to remedy that.

  
He had just finished stirring the chicken into the stir-fry when he heard the front door open. He smiled again when his father walked into the kitchen with his nose in the air.  
When his eyes hit Stiles, they warmed in a way that made Stiles whole body relax. After they held each other’s gaze for a second, the older Stilinski saw the skillet and his eyes lit up even more.

  
“Please tell me that that is what I think it is?”

  
Stiles smirked at the hopeful glint that appeared in his father’s eyes, “Yep, spicy chicken stir-fry with fried rice.”

  
John set files down on the table then walked towards his son, throwing his arm around the boy in side hug. “Is there you have done recently that I need to know about?”

  
Stiles attempted to look affronted as he shrugged off his father’s arm and pointed the stirring spoon, still dripping with soy sauce, at his chest, “What I can’t prepare a nice dinner for my old man?”

  
John turned and dropped into one of the kitchen chairs, “Considering the last time you cooked was the dinner you tried to explain to me that your best friend was a werewolf, excuse me for being a little hesitant.”

  
Crap, had it really been that long?

  
Stiles pulled down plates from the cabinet and loaded up both plates with greasy fried rice and sauce covered chicken and veggies.

  
“I admit in the past I may have misused my talents for that one incident.” as he talked he carried the plates to the table.

  
His Dad cocked a brow and smirked as he turned in his chair to face Stiles across the table, “How about the time when you made double fudge brownies to cover up the fact that you wrecked a squad car."

  
Stiles snorted as he picked up his fork, “Pew, that purely coincidence. I just had a hankering for chocolate.”

  
Copying the actions of his son the older Stilinski speared a couple vegetables, then pointed them at his son, “Or the first time you wrecked your car and three plates of cookies appeared at my off-”

  
“Okay! So, I might have formed a pattern the last few months-”

  
His father smirked triumphantly.

  
“-but I that is going to change.”

  
That got his attention and the older man sent a meaningful look over to the teenager as he continued to eat, “Oh?”

  
Stiles started to shovel food into his mouth as he nodded his head rapidly.  
“Yep, from now there will be more dinners like this one.”

  
John put down his fork and eyed his son. Stiles took another bite keeping his gaze level with his fathers. Trying to show with his eyes that he was serous.  
“What about Scott?”

  
Stiles shrugged and dropped his eyes to his plate. he watched as his fork moved a limp piece of broccoli around the rice.  
“He’s been busy lately, with Derek moving in.”

  
The sheriff eyebrows rose, and he leaned back in his chair, completely abandoning his food. “So, that’s why you are still here.”

  
Stiles looked up in confusion, “What do you mean by that?”

  
His father sent him a look, “Really Stiles, you think I wouldn’t catch what today is?”

  
Stiles just stared at his father.

  
“Stiles you have been waiting all month to see that movie, yet here you sit on opening night, alone with your old man.” his father leaned forward until his elbows rested on the worn table, “Not that I am complaining, but….”

  
Stiles shoulders dropped in defeat, of course his father would have seen all that. This was the one man that could always see through Stiles bullshit, every damn time.

  
When Stiles stayed stubbornly silent, his father nodded again, “I’m right, aren’t I? He Invited Derek.”

  
At the boy’s nod, Mr. Stilinski picked up his for once again, “I still don’t see why you don’t still go…. I mean have you even met Derek yet?”

  
Stiles pushed away from the table in a fit of nervous energy, “Yeah Dad, I did, and it was awful. He was all cool with a leather jacket and surrounded by his pack and here I am a scrawny human tagging along with Scott.”

  
As Stiles paced around the kitchen he watched as his father kept on eating like they were talking about the weather or something. Not about the fact that his BEST FRIEND WAS BEING STOLEN FROM HIM!

  
The sheriff watched his son paced and raised a single brow, “I know you Stiles, did you actually go over there and talk to him?”

  
That stopped the boy in his tracks.

  
“Of course, I…… well I mean I did go over there…”

  
His Dad nodded, “Right so you saw Scott’s step brother from a distance, made up your mind what he would be like, then you decided to avoid him.”

  
stiles sputtered, “No!”

  
When his father’s gaze sharpened he hung his head and slumped back into his seat, “Maybe….”

  
He watched as his father scraped his plate clean and ate his last bite before meeting the eyes of his son. “So, that settles it.”

  
Stiles foot started to tap under the table as his eyebrows furrowed, “Settles what?”

  
Standing up the Sheriff slapped his hand on his son’s shoulder as he carried his plate to the sink.  
“You’re going to go see the movie tonight.”

  
Stiles jerked so hard in his seat he nearly fell of his chair, “Um, no I am not!”

  
“Yes, you are.” John’s voice was solid as he looked at his son.

  
“Dad, I already told Scott I wasn’t going.”

  
“And I’m telling you that you are.”

  
“Dad-”

  
“And if you don’t go I’m taking the jeep away”

  
Stiles starred helplessly at his father, “WHAT?”

  
His father looked at the clock above the stove, “Looks like you got about an hour before the movie starts, better go get ready.”

  
And with that, his father walked out of the kitchen. Stiles tripped over himself to follow him as he went into the living room and sank into his lazy boy.  
Seeing that his son followed him the Sheriff rolled his eyes again, “Stiles as your father I am not letting you run from this situation. Go to the movie, meet Derek and hang out with Scott.”

  
Stiles narrowed his eyes, “No, you can’t force me to hang out with MY friends.”

  
The older man just shrugged and pulled the lever that lifted his feet into the air, “You’re right, but I can take your keys away.”

  
Stiles growled and while it did not sound like Scott’s he thought it was pretty impressive.  
“You can’t be serious?”

  
His father had the gall to smirk at him, “As a heart attack.”

  
Oh, no he didn’t. He did not just use stiles own words against him. he can remember saying that same thing multiple times when trying to get his father to eat healthy. He stayed silent for a minute trying to think through his options. Not that he had any, he knew that look on his old man’s face. He was serious.  
“Fine, I will go to the movie-”

  
The sheriff smiled.

  
“- but I most certainly will not talk to him”

  
Picking up the remote his father smiled, “Whatever you say, Bud.”

  
Stiles glared at his father on final time before making his way upstairs to change out of his oil stained clothes.  
Thirty minutes later Stiles was standing in the theaters ticket line praying that Scott was already in the theater and wouldn’t see him come in. Despite what his dad thinks, Stiles is positive he is right about Derek. The guy acts so superior all the time and sure he is an Alpha but still have some humility.

Stiles had just bought his ticket when he turned around and saw them.

Ah shit!

They were all here.

All of them.

  
Stiles could make out six leather jackets and the tell tail jean green army jacket that belonged to Scott. Stiles sighed and pulled up his hood and walked to the concession line praying for a miracle.

_Yea, great idea Stiles wear a bright red hoody, that’s not inconspicuous or anything._

Fuck, why is he even here. He could have just gone to the library or hell, he could have gone to the late-night coffee shop that just opened on main. It had free Wi-Fi and any caffeinated beverage you should desire. He smirked, yeah give him caffeine! Like that’s not going to go terribly wrong.

  
As he waited in line Stiles played on his phone, keeping his head down. Surprisingly he made it to the front of the line completely unnoticed and placed his order. As the Popcorn People, literally that’s what they were called, started to fill his order he started to relax. There was no way Scotty could sniff him out in this place, not with all the food and people moving around.

  
Grinning and beginning to relax he took is popcorn and drink before heading to a bench to wait for some of the people to head into the theater. He hated finding a seat then being stuck in a row, so he found waiting to be the best solution. Plus, some of the best seats are never taken because people would never try them.  
He sighed, people were almost too predictable.

  
While waiting he pulled out his phone again and started playing a game. What happened next was totally the games fault. if he hadn’t been so focused on that he might have seen them heading his way and could have ducked his head or something but by the time he looked up he knew it was too late.

  
Just as he was beating his high score he heard, “Stiles!”

  
Stiles froze, then looked up and sure enough there was Scott along with six leather clad werewolves all walking passed him. Except Scott who had stopped right in front of the bench he was sitting on looking all sorts of excited which caused all the wolves to stop to look, and soon he had the attention of seven werewolves.

Stiles gulped, well shit.


	2. Night with the Wolves

Stiles was frozen in place and couldn’t think of a single thing to say; not that it stopped Scott form talking.

“You showed up! This is great, like really great! I can finally introduce you to everyone and we can see the mov-”

He cut himself off and his eyes widened comically, “Ah, shit the movie!”

Faster then Stiles could blink Scott went from looking beyond excited to disappointed. His shoulders slumped, and he flashed his puppy dog eyes, “Why didn’t you call me? I thought you weren’t coming so I let the Pack pick what movie they wanted to see so I could watch this movie with you.”

Stiles felt his heart warm at Scott’s admission, then he felt like a jerk. Of course, Scott wouldn’t see the movie without him, they have made a pact that any Star Wars movies that came out would be seen together.

It had taken years for Stiles to convince Scott to give the movies a try, but when Scott had finally sat down and watched the movies he had been sucked in. Now he was almost a bigger fan then Stiles, himself was…...almost. Stiles still had years on his little pad-one, but the force was strong in him.

Stiles looked down at his own ticket which consequently did not have Star Wars printed on it. He had picked out a comedy to watch instead.

Shrugging Stiles held his ticket up, “Um, I was going to see the comedy, actually.”

Scott perked up again, his hair flopping around as he nodded, “That’s perfect! We all decided that it would be best to stay away from the horror film, so that’s what we decided as well.” 

Stiles nodded and awkwardly looked around at Scott’s new pack. The first thing that stood out to Stiles was how incredibly good looking they all were. Stiles had seen them around of course; usually at school or around town, but he had always been careful to remain at a safe distance from them. They never seemed very interested in him anyway, but now they were very interested. 

Scott picked up on his discomfort and immediately stepped closer, “I can’t believe you came, here let me introduce you to everybody,”

He first pointed to a curly haired boy wearing a scarf, “This is Isaac, he is on the lacrosse team with us, along with Jackson.”

Stiles followed his gesture to a blonde guy had his arm wrapped around a strawberry blonde chick, both looked like they stepped out of a magazine. 

“The red head is-”

“Strawberry blonde, actually and I am quite capable of introducing myself, thank you.”

As the girl spoke, she stepped forward with a smile and offered her hand, “Hi, my name is Lydia and you must be Stiles.”

Stiles stood up and shook her offered hand which was small and dainty in his long-fingered grasp, “Yeah, that would be me.”

She nodded as she pulled her hand back and flipped her hair over her shoulder, “Well it is nice to finally put a face with the name. Scott talks non-stop about you.”

He wasn’t sure how to respond to that, so he stayed silent and looked back at Scott who went back to the intros, “Next is Erica and Boyd-”

He pointed to a big dude who had his arm wrapped possessively around a smaller blonde girl. The big guy nodded at him while the girl threw him a smile that was nothing short of predatory. He waved but otherwise stayed his distance from them. 

“-and lastly, Stiles this is my brother Derek.” Scott’s voice was seeping with joy as he mentioned the man that Stiles had tried to avoid the last few months. 

He watched as Scott left his side to throw an arm around the last leather clad figure. 

Derek was a tall, muscular guy with dark hair that made his hazel colored eyes appear even lighter than they really were. He was dressed in jeans and a light blue Henley with his ever-present leather jacket. 

Derek wrapped an arm around Scott as well and met Stiles gaze head on. “Nice to meet you, Stiles.”

His gaze was searing, it felt like he was looking right through Stiles and it made him want to wilt back into the crappy wall paper that covered the theaters walls. Instead he made himself straighten up and meet the eyes of his friend’s alpha.

“It nice to meet you as well, Scott talks about you all the time. Actually, he talks about all of you quite a lot.” 

It was a lie.

It was not nice to meet him or any of them honestly, but Stiles had been around Scott enough to know that if you kept a steady voice and followed up your lie with solid truth then it would be harder to detect which is just what he did. Scott didn’t just talk about the pack a lot he talked about them constantly. It was a never-ending stream of Isaac did this and Boyd did that. Hey, did you see Jackson’s play last Saturday? You’ll never guess what Erica and Lydia did! A loop that never seemed to stop. 

Only from the smirk that crossed Derek’s lips he knew that his technique failed to work on the older wolf.

“Shame we couldn’t have met sooner.” 

Stiles crossed his arms defensively, “Yeah well, I have been busy.”

Derek raised a brow at his defiant tone and Scott winced flashing pleading eyes at Stiles which he promptly ignored.

Yeah, he was being a rude, but this guy had to understand that Stiles wasn’t part of his pack. He didn’t get to pull all that alpha shit on him. Only instead of looking pissed off  
Scott’s step brother only looked mildly amused, but not in a laughing way. More like how a lion is amused when a gazelle tries to escape.

Or how a wolf is amused when a deer tries to out run it. 

Derek continued to hold his gaze until Stiles eventually looked away focusing back on his phone. The movie was going to start in five minutes. So, stiles slid his phone in his pocket and picked up his drink and popcorn. 

“Well, the movie is going to start soon so I am going to go find a seat.”

Scott deflated a little but nodded, looking pathetically at Stiles, “Yeah, we haven’t got popcorn yet…”

Stiles rolled his eyes at the way Scott left the sentence open-ended and resigned himself to spend a night with wolves, “Yes, Scott I will try to save some seats for you.”

Scott almost started to bounce up and down, “Awesome we will be there in five.”

“There might not be a lot left” Stiles hedged, hoping that that was the case.

Scott ignored him, “You need eight of them. No wait! Try to get nine the girls stuff always gets in the way if you have to make a bathroom break.”

All the boys chuckled at that and Erica smirked looking at Scott, “What Scotty, you don’t want a repeat of last time?”

Scott’s naturally tan skin turned an unattractive tomato red color and he glared at her. “No, I think I can spend the rest of my life without getting that close to your chest ever again.”

She flipped her blonde hair and laughed, a sharp cackling sound, “What you didn’t like what you saw?”

Still glaring and red, he looked at Stiles again, “You know what get seven seats Stiles.”

Erica laughed again and leaned back into the big man what was is name? 

Boyd, maybe? 

When she didn’t say anything further, Scott nodded, “Eight seats minimum.”

Stiles snorted, “I know how to count.” 

His affirmation of his counting abilities went unheard though because the whole group was walking away from him and back towards the concession counter that was now totally abandoned as people had already filled the theaters rooms. Hell, they even moved in sequence, each moving flawlessly, Stiles was lucking if he made it an hour without tripping. 

Grumbling to himself he turned and made his way into the dimly lit room and looked at the empty seats. 

The totally empty seats.

The completely empty seats.

You have to be fucking kidding!

Not one seat in the whole room was occupied. 

Stiles slumped as he climbed the steps to the furthest row and flopped into a seat closest to the stairs. He needed to be closer to the stairs because he found it very difficult to sit all the way through a movie. Usually he would have to get up at least once and sitting in the back next to the stairs supplied him with a place to stand up stretch during the movie.

As he waited he popped a few kernels into his mouth and chewed letting is mind drift as he ate the crunchy buttered morsels. He thought of the pack. He knew Isaac and Jackson from lacrosse practice. Both of them were really good but he would bet only Jackson was a true natural. Isaac had the advanced abilities which made him good, but Jackson had a firm understanding of the game. 

Lydia, he saw in class, she was crazy smart. Not that she ever let it show. No, she hid her brains behind flawless makeup and designer handbags. 

Erica and Boyd were a bit of a mystery to Stiles. He knew Erica was in his art class and Boyd was in his chemistry class but besides that he knew very little about them. Just that they were a thing and that nobody messed with them. 

Then there was Derek. 

Derek with is sharp eyes and ridiculous eyebrows. Stiles swears he can still feel his gaze on him. Searing passed all of his defenses and laying him out. The way Derek had smirked at him made his skin itch, in a weird way. He had looked at him like he knew exactly what Stiles was thinking and feeling. That unnerved him. Stiles didn’t like to be unnerved, it never ended well for him in the past.

He popped a few more kernels as the group flowed into the room all carrying drinks and popcorn. Scott didn’t even bother looking for him, he just grabbed Isaac’s arm and pulled him up the steps toward Stiles, the others trailing behind all except Derek, who was nowhere to be seen. 

When Scott reached him, Stiles stood up and got out of the way, so people could fill the row. 

“So, no seats.” Scott teased as he ushered people passed stiles and into the row. 

Stiles gave him the same affronted look he had given to his father, and spread out his arms, “Do you know how hard it was to get these seats? I had to pull strings, my man, a little appreciation would be nice.”

Scott pushed Isaac in last and sat down leaving a seat for Stiles, “What would I do without you, buddy?”

Stiles flopped in his seat and pulled his popcorn into his lap before answering in his Yoda voice, “Dead, you would be.” 

Scott laughed but then went serious, “Next week, right?”

Stiles heart settled, and he got his answer out right before the lights dimmed, “Right.”

The movie started, and Stiles settled in, eating his popcorn and randomly whispering to Scott. About five minutes in, Stiles realized again that Derek was missing.

He leaned over to Scott, “Where’s Derek?”

Scott looked away from the screen and turned towards his friend, “He had to take a call.”

Stiles nodded then settled back in his chair bouncing his leg and focusing on the movie. The movie was about a high school boy who was trying to announce his undying love to a girl, who was of course going out with another guy. While trying to figure out what to say he meets another girl. A down-to-earth, strong female who doesn’t believe in love. Stiles couldn’t imagine what was going to happen….

The girl had just pushed the guy out of her two-story bedroom window, when Stiles felt a tap on his arm. He looked away from the screen to see Derek standing next to him looking at him expectantly. 

Stiles blinked trying to recenter his mind, “What?”

Derek rolled his eyes and pointed at the row, “Scoot in.”

Stiles looked over and saw that everybody had moved down one seat. He stood up, “Here you can go in,”

He tried to scooch pass Derek, but he didn’t move from the beginning of the aisle, “Scoot down, Stiles.”

Stiles frowned, it was not a good idea to put him in the middle of the row, “um, no, I need to sit on the outside.”

He tried to squeeze pass again but again Derek blocked his path and narrowed his eyes at the boy. Stiles swallowed and instinctively took a step back.

“I said scoot in, Stiles.” 

Stiles froze when Derek’s gaze met his. Despite the dark room Stiles could still make out his hazel eyes, that were now staring into his. His whole body had shifted from relaxed to commanding. He raised an eyebrow and stepped forward crowding into Stiles space. Stiles stepped back slowly and sank into the seat closest to Scott. 

Derek slid into the seat next to him, and Stiles tried to lean closer to his friend without looking like he was. Praying that if the alpha did decide to eat him that Scott do something. Stiles’ leg started bouncing again as he tried to zero his attention back onto the screen. 

Stiles tried to focus but it wasn’t working. The more he tried the faster his leg bounced until it couldn’t go any faster. When the energy became too much for his leg he started to soundlessly tap his fingers on his still bouncing leg. He could feel Derek’s presence from where he was sitting which wasn’t helping with his nervous energy.

The man took up the whole seat. He had his arms resting on both armrest, his feet were sprawled in front of him, and he leaned his head back in the seat. His whole posture should have made him look relaxed, but it didn’t. He looked ready to wolf-out at any minute and Stiles couldn’t help but wonder what had happened in that phone call. Something must have happened because his whole demeanor had changed. He had gone from relaxed to dangerous in the space of twenty minutes.

Great now he was curious along with nervous. 

Stiles breathed in then out. Trying to once again focus on the movie, but finding it held no interest to him. Just as he was about to go crazy from sitting for so long the credits rolled and the lights flicked on. 

Thank god! 

Stiles shot up from his chair and turned to Scott who was talking to the others about the movie ignoring Derek who had gotten up and had started down the steps already pulling out his cell.

“I need to go home.”

Scott looked up from the others and frowned, “I thought we were heading down to the diner?”

Stiles closed his eyes briefly, shit he had forgotten about that.

They always went to the diner after the movies to get curly fries and drinks. 

“I told my dad I would be home right after the movie.” As excuses go that one wasn’t one of Stiles best ones, but it was true; he had said that to his dad right before he had left. Thank god for planning escapes ahead.

Scott nodded his understanding and went to say something, but Stiles was already walking down the steps, leaving his trash behind for Scott to pick up. 

“See ya, Dude.”

Stiles all but ran out of the room and then out of the theater itself. He just needed to get away from all of the werewolves and get back to his house and his human father. 

He had just reached his car when he spotted Derek across the parking lot talking into his phone. Stiles pulled out his keys to his old jeep as he watched Derek all but yell into his cell phone. Stiles couldn’t make out what he was saying but he looked angry.

He jerked open his door and was about to get in when Derek looked up and locked eyes on him. Stiles froze. Derek still had the phone pressed to his ear, but he seemed to relax a little. He leaned back against his shiny black car that Stiles had seen driving Scott around town and tilted his head to Stiles. Stiles just shook his head and climbed into his car. 

He just needed to get home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay Guys here is chapter two!
> 
> I thought I would surprise you Guys with chapter two really early since this was a new fanfic.
> 
> Here are some quick notes for you all. First I know there is not a bunch of Stiles Pack interaction in this chapter but don't worry that will happen when Stiles goes to school. Next, I made Derek a little intimidating in this chapter because he is supposed to be the alpha but it will lighten up as Stiles gets to know him more. It will lighten up a little not a lot. Finally, please remember this is a slow build, so give me at least one more chapter before any real stereky scenes hit.
> 
> Let me know your thoughts, I LOVE hearing from you guys!  
> Shadow


	3. School Has Gone to the Dogs

By the time Stiles jeep had rumbled into the driveway that night, he was emotionally exhausted. 

Really, he was bone tired and just looking forward to falling into bed. The pillows were calling his name and who was he to keep them waiting.

He climbed out of his jeep and walked into the house, shutting the door as quietly as possible, he headed into the kitchen and tossed his keys on the table as he walked passed. On his way to the stairs he pulled out his phone and checked his messages. There was two from Scott and five from an unknown number. 

His brow furrowed but he shut his phone off and jogged up the stairs before turning towards his dad’s room. There was light coming out from behind the door, so he knocked, then pushed the door open. He leaned against the door jamb and took in the sight before him.

Sheriff Stilinski was stretched out on his bed still in his uniform and shoes sound asleep with files resting under his chin. Shaking his head, Stiles entered the room and walking to the end of the bed to take his father’s shows off. He pulled the first one off, then the second; laying both shoes slightly under the bed. Walking around the bed silently he gathered up all the files, some of which had fallen off the bed to land in a heap on the floor and placed them in a neat stack on his father’s dresser, right next to a picture of his mother. 

He froze as he saw the picture. Claudia Stilinski was smiling at the camera, her dark hair curling slightly against her shoulders. She was wearing a hospital gown, only it wasn’t because she was sick. No, in her arms, resting against her chest was a scrawny baby boy wrapped in a blue blanket. 

Stiles smiled and picked up the photo. She looked so young and carefree, not worrying about a thing in the world. Stiles leaned against the dresser and traced her smile with his finger. 

He missed that.

He missed when she smiled at him and Stiles would feel all his worries melt away. Just a smile, that’s all it took. 

One smile from his mom. 

He jumped, as his father snored and quickly straightened up, looking back at his dad. He had rolled over in his sleep, no longer hindered by his shoes and multiple piles of paper. Stiles smiled and rolled his eyes before turning back to the frame he held in his hands. Carefully he placed the picture back where he found it and after giving it one more look, walked out of the room; shutting off the light as he went. 

Back out in the hallway, he shut his father’s door and crossed to his room repeating the action with his own door. Now in his own room he flopped onto his bed in giant heap and pulled open his phone, opening the message left by Scott.

Scott: Dude, thanks for coming out tonight!!!   
P.S. Mom wants to ask if you want to come over for dinner, tomorrow???

Stiles rolled his eyes, Scott had to be the only person he had ever met that used P.S. in a text message. 

He smirked and sent a quick reply, thankful Scott couldn’t hear his heart through the phone,

Stiles: Yea man, it was fun. Can’t go to dinner, old mans working. 

That done he turned his attention to the unknown text messages. Finding out that they were all from different numbers.  
The first read, 

UNKNOWN: This is Lydia Marten. I stole your number from Scott.

He frowned and threw an arm under his head. Why the hell was Lydia-freaking- Marten texting him? Instead of responding Stiles just closed the message. Rolling over onto his stomach as he opened the next one, 

UNKNOWN: It’s Jackson. I just have any numbers my girlfriend does.

Yeah, the jerk wad seemed like the type. Every time a male even looked in Lydia’s way at school the guy would go completely Rottweiler on them. It was not a stretch to say he was a Werewolf. He opened the next one, 

UNKNOWN: So, you’re the infamous Stiles? This is Erica Reyes.

Stiles narrowed his eyes at his phone.

What the hell?

He opened another one,

UNKNOWN: Hey, Stiles we didn’t really get to talk but this is Isaac.

To how many people did Scott give his number to? Feeling a little weary he opened the last message. 

UNKNOWN: This is Boyd

Okay…… Well, he did seem like a man of few words but why the hell was he TEXTING him? Why did any of them text him?

Shaking his head, he deleted all their texts without saving the numbers and powered his phone down. Hopefully, they would forget about him by Monday and things would settle down. 

With that comforting though in mind, Stiles pulled himself out of bed long enough to pull pajamas on and brush his teeth but that was it. As soon as he was done he fell back in bed and was out seconds later.   
……… 

Sunday morning was spent doing homework and playing video games. His father had to work so he made lunch for himself and watched some TV, by the time his dad had made it back home he had dinner on the table; it was spaghetti with a white garlic sauce. His father was shocked by the dinner but then his eyes filled with understanding. They talked a little and his father was careful to steer clear of anything that had to do with the movie. When supper was finished he cleaned up and headed upstairs, tinkering around on his computer until it was time for bed. He very pointedly ignored his cell phone as he climbed into bed and turned off the light. Tomorrow, would come soon enough.  
………. 

Monday morning arrived, and Stiles trudged out the door after checking his phone messages. He had a couple from Scott but received nothing else. He smiled, see things were back to normal. 

Climbing up into his jeep, Stiles rumbled out of his drive and headed to school. He was going early so the roads were dead and he made really good time. He pulled into his usual parking spot in the front row. Scott had once asked how stiles was able to steal a front parking spot every day but didn’t wait to hear Stiles answer. If he had Stiles would have told him, hell Stiles would have probably brought him along one day, but he didn’t really seem interested.

Stiles walked down the halls and into the library, nodding to Ms. Sheer as he passed her desk. He walked until he reached the back of the room where a gaggle of half-awake teens sat at a big group table. Stiles smiled at them as he set his bag in a chair. 

“What’s up, guys?”

Ten bleary eyed kids his own age blinked at him and Sylvia, a blonde-haired girl glared at him,” Is there a reason you are always this level of energetic in the mornings?”

Stiles smirked, “Nope, I don’t even drink coffee.”

She rolled her eyes, “I hate you.”

Stiles chuckled as he unzipped his bag, gathering his notebook and pens. Stiles enjoyed tutoring. He liked seeing the excitement fill his fellow student’s eyes as they aced a class. After Scott got bitten, he had really fallen behind in his grades and Stiles had helped him get them up again. Now he does that for anyone willing to show up early on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, which is not many. Some days he just sits alone in the library but others, like today, he has a good turnout.

Stiles pulled a notebook out of his backpack, “You won’t be saying that when you pass your history exam.”

Dropping his book on the table he slouched in his seat, “Now where did we leave off?”

After his study group was over the school had begun to fill with students. The place started to buzz with the loud talking of teenagers as Stiles exited the library heading towards his locker waving to his study group kids if he past them. Most of them waved back but others tried to ignore him. He just shrugged it off, nobody liked needing help after all.

He was a few lockers down from his own when he heard someone call his name. Turning in confusion he froze when he saw Isaac making his way towards him. He stopped a few feet from him and shifted awkwardly,” Hey, Stiles.”

Stiles shrugged his backpack higher on his shoulders, “Hi, Isaac?”

He watched as Isaac shifted a little on his feet and scratched the back of his head. 

He didn’t quite meeting Stiles eyes as he continued, “Um, we met Saturday at the movies…. with Scott.”

Stiles cocked his head, his lip curling a little in bemusement, “Yes, Isaac I remember.”

Isaac blushed a little and nodded, “Um, I was wondering if you do any tutoring for chemistry?”

Stiles blinked, a little taken aback by the question. He did do chemistry tutoring. Actually, it was one of his most popular sessions and he did it mainly to annoy Mr. Harris who   
had hated Stiles from day one, but it shocked him that Isaac had asked him about it. 

Nevertheless, he answered automatically, “Yeah, I do. Um, it’s on Wednesdays before school.” 

Isaac’s whole stature relaxed, and he closed his eyes, “Oh, thank god, is there room for one more.”

Stiles shoved a hand into his pocket and stepped closer to the wall of lockers trying to get out of the way of other students, “Yep, it’s pretty spares right now. Most people don’t start showing up until a month before finals.”

Isaac nodded his blue eyes flicking downward, “Well, count me in for Wednesday.”

Stiles stepped back with a nod, “You got it. Just bring a list of stuff you need to work on and we will focus on that stuff.”

Isaac nodded, his brown hair flopping in a way that reminded him of Scott’s. With another nod stiles turned away and continued to his locker. Well, that was interesting to say the least. Isaac had seemed so nervous about talking to him, like he thought Stiles was going to laugh at him or something. He had never seen any of Derek’s pack like that. They always seem so confident and put together, he opened his locker with grin. Well everyone except-

“Stiles!”

Scott, everyone except Scott. He turned just in time to see his best friend race down the hall toward him, skidding to a halt in front of him looking horrified and Stiles had to suppress a smile as he waited for what he knew was coming.

“Stiles the chemistry quiz is today!” 

And there it is, He laughed to himself as he pulled out books from his locker.

“You’ll do fine.”

Scott pulled him to face him again, “It’s not me Stiles, Isaac had been really struggling and I forgot to give him the notes that you gave me.” 

“I already talked to Issacs.”

Scott relaxed his brown eyes filling with relief, “He came to you and asked?”

“Well he asked if I could tutor him?” 

Scott opened the locker right next to stiles, “Good, I had been bugging him about that.”

Stiles turned back to his locker as well, “Relax Scotty, with my help he will be getting better grades then you.”

Scott slammed his shut and threw a sardonic expression his way, “Which we all know is extremely difficult.”

Stiles shoved his shoulder and closed his own locker, “You’re getting better.”

Scott rolled his eyes as the bell rang and headed towards his first class, “Only because I have a nerd as a best friend.”

Stiles heart warmed when Scott said, ‘best friend’ and turned toward his own class with a smile, but not before yelling, “That’s Mr. Nerd, to you!” at his friends back.

His morning classes went by pretty quickly and soon it was his free period which he spent doing homework. Lunch was right after his free period which he was grateful for. Stiles was pretty sure his stomach had started eating is spine by the time he made it into the cafeteria. After going through the line, he walked to the doors leading outside and found his usual table. Stiles had just started eating is fries when he saw Scott heading his way.

Lately Scott had been spending more and more time out on the lacrosse field, that included his lunch break. He said something about Jackson helping him and Isaac practice. He waved anyway so Scott would see him. Scott smiled and jogged overlooking sweaty. 

Stiles threw his water bottle at him, “How was practice?”

Scott caught the bottle and took a long pull before sliding into the bench across from Stiles and resting his elbows on the table, “It was good.”

Stiles picked up a fry and gestured up and down Scott’s sweat soaked form, “Looks like it.” 

Scott grabbed the fry from him and shoved it in his mouth, glaring at him, “Shut up.”

He grinned, “Hey, try to remember that this torture is self-induced.”

Scott’s glare intensified, “Are you done?” 

Stiles winked and stole his water bottle back, “Probably not.”

Scott rolled his eyes and stole another fry. Chewing thoughtfully, he watched as Stiles uncapped the bottle and took a drink, “You should come next time.”

Stiles choked, coughing up water. His eyes watered, and he banged his fist against his chest. Once he could breathe again looked through his watery eyes at his friend, “One, please remember that I, Stiles, your good buddy am human and as such I am able to perish by choking.

Scott leaned forward to whisper, “You know werewolves can choke too, “before grabbing the water bottle again and finishing it off. 

Stiles wiped his eyes, looking disgruntled.

“Not the point, and two ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND!” He shouted not really making it a question. 

Scott winced, rubbing his ear and looking around at the surrounding tables, then whispering, “No, stiles, we used to train together all the time.”

Stiles lowered his voice to a normal level, “Yeah, Scott we did. You and I used to train together, not you, me and, two other furry-”

“Furry what?”

Stiles flailed around to see Jackson and Lydia coming up behind him both carrying trays full of food. He gaped as they rounded the table and sat to the right of Scott. Lydia was looking at him expectantly. 

“Um, I was just telling Scott why it wouldn’t be a good idea for me to train with him.”

Lydia looked over at Scott who was trying to hide a smile. Stiles glared at him then focused on his meal. While he would never hesitate at making dog jokes around Scott he   
always had to watch his mouth around other wolves. A simple marking territory joke had almost cost Stiles his life on one occasion. 

“I think you should.”

Stiles jerked his head up to see Jackson staring at him while he bit into an apple. 

He had to be joking. 

“Trust me it is better that I sit on the bench.”

Jackson rolled his eyes, “I’ll admit you have the grace of a house cat in water, but you are quick on your feet which is a helpful skill while getting the ball to the net.”

He paused then added, “Just pass the ball, so someone else can get the ball in the net.”

And there it is folks, the Jackass.

“I think I’ll pass, thank you.” 

“Pass on what?”

Stiles once again flailed but this time it was Erica and Boyd who sat on Scott’s left side. 

Lydia flipped her hair, “The boys are trying to convince Stiles to get off the bench.” 

Boyd uncapped Erica’s water, then gave him the once over, “I didn’t know you were on the team.”

Stiles groaned scrubbing his hands through his hair, “Exactly and I would like to keep it that way.”

Lydia took a bite from her salad, before pointing the fork at him, “Jackson’s right though.”

Stiles shook his head again. He didn’t want to talk about this. He liked bench warming, not as much as he liked playing but at least he wasn’t making a fool of himself like he   
would if he was out on the field. 

Erica flashed him a razor-sharp grin, “I didn’t know you played for that team either.”

Stiles flushed, he couldn’t help it. While he wasn’t embarrassed by his sexuality, just not something he really wants to talk about around a bunch of strangers. 

Stiles opted to just glare at her. 

Scott leaned forward, “It’d be fun stiles.”

The boy scoffed at his friend, then pointed to his sweat drenched shirt, “Yeah, a real blast,”

Suddenly a plate was placed down to the right of Stiles and Isaac joined the table. He sat down and smiled a little nervously at Stiles, “Can I sit here?”

He nodded. 

Isaac relaxed a little and turned to the table before asking, “What’s going on?”

Everybody opened their mouths to answer but Stiles cut in, “Nothing! Nothing, is going on.”

Isaac looked confused, so Stiles decided to distract him further by asking, “Why aren’t you covered in sweat?” 

He knew Isaac practiced with Scott and Jackson, but Isaac looked and smelled clean. So, did Jackson but it was hard to imagine that he would ever look less than perfect. Scott on   
the other hand, looked and smelled a little worse for wear. 

“No offense, Scotty but you are pretty rank.”

Scott glared at him as everybody laughed, including Isaac who sobered up enough to say, “We are usually so late to lunch that there are no tables left so after practice two of us   
will go take a shower and the other one will nab a table.”

He then gestured towards Scott, “It was his turn,”

Scott turned to Stiles, “Have you been sitting out here the last couple of weeks?”

Try a month. He had spent a month sitting out here alone, but he supposes in some minds a month is a couple of weeks.

Stiles pushed his tray away, suddenly not feeling so hungry, but he nodded at Scott.

“Yeah, it’s less crowded out here.”

Lydia smiled, “I like it the air doesn’t smell like food.”

Erica nodded, wrinkling her nose, “And the tables are bigger.”

Jackson leaned forward on the bench, resting his arms on the table, “It’s almost perfect, except McCall’s smell.” 

Scott glared and slapped him on the back of the head. Stiles sucked a breath in, Jackson was not someone you fucked around with. He waited for the blow up, but the lacrosse player only threw his apple core in Scott’s direction. Scott threw a napkin back and Jackson reached for Stiles fries, but before he could throw them Lydia grabbed his arm.

“Enough boys.” her voice was cool but seemed to shut down both Scott and Jackson.

Stiles watched the whole interaction felling a little left out. It was obvious his friend knew these people and cared for them. He didn’t hesitate to hit Jackson, just as Lydia didn’t hesitate to shut Scott down like he was her brother or something. Stiles glanced over to Erica and Boyd who were watching the whole exchange fondly, like it was an everyday occurrence. Maybe it was. 

Stiles was jerked out of his daze by Isaac who nudged his arm, “This is a nice spot, Stiles”

Stiles smiled at him in thanks, and that is pretty much how lunch continued until the bell rang. Stiles watched them banter and even joined in a couple of times. He was trying. If Scott liked these people and was dedicated to being pack with them, then Stiles would try his best to fit in as well. It was time to stop moping around for things to go back the way they were, when it had just been made clear to Stiles that they never would. His friend was happy, so it was time for Stiles to suck it up.

Just as Stiles was about to head back to class Scott grabbed his arm. He looked up to meet Scott’s familiar brown eyes as the wolf asked, “So, you and your dad in for dinner tonight?”

Before Stiles could answer, Scott added, “We haven’t been able to have a dinner since mom got remarried. I mean not like together.”

He knew what Scott meant, he wanted his mom’s new husband, along with Derek to get together with Stiles and his dad for a ‘family dinner’. They hadn’t been able to do that yet, mainly because stiles had been making it difficult but as he looked into the eyes of his best friend he knew it was time.

“Yeah, that would be great,”

Scott’s eyes filled with excitement and he almost started bouncing. Stiles knew he had made the right decision. Little did he know that his decision would be tested later that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Guys,
> 
> So, there was no sterek in this chapter but don't worry it is coming up, so hand on for chapter four!!!  
> Also I had such a hard time deciding whether Isaac or Lydia should come up to stiles but ultimately decided on Isaac because of his sweet personality. Although, I am a HUGE fan of Lydia!!!
> 
> As always let me know what you think by commenting, please!!!!
> 
> See ya soon!!!


	4. Dinner with the McCall's

“You can’t wear that.”

Stiles looked down at his hoodie and worn jeans before meeting his father’s eyes, confused, “Why? What’s wrong with it?”

The Sheriff sighed and looked to the ceiling giving it a “God help me look”.

Stiles rolled his eyes. This whole thing was stupid.

Tonight, was the night. Both Stiles and his father were going to have dinner with the McCall’s and neither of them were very excited about it. Stiles knew he wasn’t being fair but this whole situation wasn’t fair.

The plan had been simple.

They would head over to the McCall’s house for a simple and casual dinner. Momma McCall even promised to make Stiles favorite dessert. See that’s a good plan. However, the plan had been changed. No, changed was not a good enough word for it.

The plan had been destroyed.

Shot down.

Blown out of the water.

Dead on impact.

Scott had called him right as he was pulling into his driveway after school in a panic which didn’t innately bother Stiles, for it was Scott’s usual persona. Hence, he didn’t hesitate to ask his buddy what was up. That was a bad decision. An ultra-bad decision. One he is regretting at this very moment.

After Stiles had asked the stupid question Scott proceeded to spew out in one who sentence, “SO MOM CALLED AND TOLD ME THAT SHE HAD FORGOTTEN THAT SHE HAD PLANS TONIGHT TO GO TO A FANCY RESTAURANT WITH THE NEW GUY BUT SAID WE SHOULD ALL GO THERE INSTEAD SO DRESS NICE AND BE AT B&B’S BY SEVEN YOU CAN’T BACK OUT SEE YA BYE” And with that he hung up without giving Stiles a chance to say anything.

Anything like, say, NO!

B&B’s was an extremely fancy restaurant that wasn’t even in Beacon Hills. It was about an hour away and didn’t take walk-in costumer’s. Hell, they didn’t need to when they had the place booked for like three years. Plus, the place was crazy expensive.

Stiles crossed his arms at his father. The Sheriff looked unimpressed and pointed towards the stairway, “Now Stiles.”

He flailed his hands around, “Well, what am I supposed to wear?”

“This is a black-tie place, emphasis on the tie part.”

The boy dropped his arms and snorted, “I don’t own a tie.”

John started to pull on his suit jacket, “Barrow one of mine,” He paused as he caught a look of himself in the entryway mirror, “Actually bring me the blue one while you’re up there and go put on your black pants and red shirt. You can use my black tie.”

Stiles groaned but followed the older man’s orders. He hated the red shirt. No matter where he went in it he always stood out when he wore it; a bright crimson stain in a sea of whites, blacks, and navy blues but he understood why this father wanted him to wear it. The shirt had been a gift from Momma McCall. It was given to him as a gift for an upcoming dance at school. The dance had been a disaster and it wasn’t like he could return the shirt. Therefore, he was stuck with it.

So, he trudged up the stairs and grabbed the stiff thing from the dusty hanger in the back of his closet. Luckily, it was hung nice so it had no wrinkles. The pants, on the other hand, were on a heap on the floor but Stiles refused to iron them. After a second’s contemplation he grabbed the black snug-fitting vest the came with the shirt and threw it on as well before heading to his father’ s room to grab the ties.

Ties in had he stomped back downstairs and tossed the blue one to his father who caught it and ran a scrutinizing eye on Stiles clothes before nodding.

“Much better, get your tie on and grab shoes then we will leave.”

Stiles glowered as he slid his tie around his neck, “I’m wearing sneakers.”

The older Stilinski flipped up his collar and copied his son’s actions with his own tie, his blue eye’s gaining a little twinkle at his son’s defiant tone. He shrugged, “Fine be me.”

He finished with his tie before walking over to his son and taking the strip of fabric from the pale fumbling fingers. Stiles let go and waited as he father tied his tie with a few quick loops and tightened it. He pulled the boy’s collar down before setting his hands on thin shoulders and meeting the boy’s eyes.

“I’m going to say something and Son, I want you to listen to me.”

Stiles held the gaze, staring into comforting blue eyes and nodded.

“Tonight will be fine and it’s been a long time coming.”

Stiles sighed, playing with the bottom of the vest, “We can’t afford it, Dad.”

He watched as his father’s gaze flickered before he dropped his hands and backed away, “I know about the bills Dad and I get that the New Guy is rich and all but we can’t do this.

The entryway light flicked as his father smiled, “You and Scott still calling him that?”

Stiles gave a wavering smile at the lame attempt at a subject change, “Yeah, we are.”

The sheriff stuck his hands in his pockets, leaned back against the door and looked at the old rug. “Honestly, I don’t know how we are going to do tonight. We might be only ordering salads or hell, maybe we will order bread but we can’t cancel.”

Raising his gaze, John spoke in a low voice, “These people are our family. Melissa’s been married for a while now and they dated a long time before that,” he paused eyeing his son “I know you haven’t met the ‘new guy’ yet, you chickened out at the wedding. It’s time.”

“I know.” Stiles might not like it but he knew. Like his father said, it was long past time.

John nodded and both of them were quiet. They may not like the circumstances of this meeting but both knew there would be no backing out.

Stiles stared at the door contemplating. He was absentmindedly pulling at the edge of his vest as his thoughts flew in every direction and he tried to get a handle on them. He didn’t want to go tonight, but he didn’t want to let his brother down. He didn’t want to meet the ‘New Guy’ but after all Momma McCall had done for both him and his father he knew he would. He thought about the pack and how tomorrow he had to start studying with Isaac. How Scott really wanted him to hang with the pack and how far they had grown apart the last months.

He didn’t want them to grow farther. Both Scott and Melissa seemed so far away; like another world away. His fingers clenched tightly around the black silk fabric of his vest. He did want to lose them but he felt as if they were slipping away. Suddenly the ‘McCall and Stilinski Family’ was fading into the ‘McCall and Pack Family’. The Stilinski’s fading out into the background. It hurt.

Stiles was jerked out of his thoughts when his father gave a slight huff and heaved himself off the door. The older Stilinski grabbed his keys and wallet, nodding towards the door, “Good, now get shoes and get your ass in the Cruzer, it has the gas we need.”

His tone held a note of finality that gave Stiles a sense of peace. They were doing this but they were going in together and they were doing it for family. He had promised himself that he would try for his brother and now it was time for him to face the wolf. Or wolves if Derek was going to be there too. So, Stiles slid on his unlaced sneakers and they walked out the door.

……….

The Stilinski men reached B&B’s about fifteen minutes early which was a first for two men who were usually late for everything. Unanimously, the boys decided that rather than pay for valet parking that they would use those fifteen minutes to find free parking and walk to the restaurant. What they weren’t expecting was that they were downtown so their parking options were very limited.

Very limited.

As in the only spot they found was a back lot to another restaurant about a ten-minute walk away. Thank God, they were early. After parking and a quick jog back to B&B’s, they arrived with about three minutes to spare. Both were panting a little as they walked up to the doors.

“I told you…. you need to start…exercising more, oh God!” Stiles panted and bent over grabbing his knees, attempting to pull limited air into his burning lungs.

The sheriff, who was also having trouble recovering cocked an eyebrow as he leaned back against a column outside of the restaurant, “Says the boy more worm out, then his old man.”

“So, you admit you’re old?” Stiles grinned at the look his father threw his way before straightening and pointing to the building.

“Should we go in?”

His father turned and looked over around at some of the cars in line to be parked, “Do you know what kind of car this guy drives?”

Stiles snorted, “Well, his son drives a shiny black Camaro, I’ve seen Jackson riding around in a Porsche, and Erica and Lydia both own Mercedes; So, I’m guessing he owns a Ferrari or hey, maybe a Lamborghini!”

That was all that really needed to be said as they starred out at all the shiny overly expensive cars lined up.

“Well, crap”

Stiles nodded his acquiescence at his father’s summary of their situation.

Yep, that covered it.

After a moments discussion, they walked through the doors. The older Stilinski took the lead by heading towards the desk while Stiles hung back by the bathrooms. It was going to be okay. Really it was. They arrived on time and didn’t have to pay for parking or tip the valet. So, already this night was going accordingly, but as he looked around himself he saw a sea of shiny silver and folded napkins. He saw fitted suits and fine dresses, shiny shoes and gleaming high heels, Gucci clutches and Rolex watches.

Damn, this was crazy.

He suddenly felt relieved that him and his father didn’t look that out of place. Sure, he didn’t have a suit jacket but with his vest, he still looked like he belonged. His father had opted to actually wear a suit. His was dressed in a black suit with a bright blue tie. Stiles smiled and relaxed a little because if you didn’t know the stressful situation the family was in you would have no idea that the sheriff didn’t belong here.

He watched as his father smiled pleasantly at the hostess; it always shocked Stiles how much his father’s face would transform when he smiled. The lines around his eyes and mouth which were deep grooves worn in by all the stress he was under from being the sheriff of a town that was now overrun by supernatural creatures would transform. He literally looked years younger. Decades even. The hostess, a beautiful lady probably around his dad’s age was laughing and leaning towards his father. Stiles smirked and rolled his eyes.

Well, at least the old man still had it.

Stiles attention was abruptly snatched away from his fathers wooing of the pretty hostess when an arm slid through his. He was just about to turn when a familiar voice spoke up, “Well, what is a handsome young man like you doing all alone?”

Stiles’ smirk transformed into a bright smile at Melissa’s horrible attempt at a southern accent. Placing his opposite hand over the one she had wrapped around him, he turned halfway towards her. Answering in his own southern drawl, “Well ma’am, I guess I am not alone anymore.”

Warm chocolate brown eyes, so much like Scott’s smiled up at him and she squeezed the arm she had captured a little tighter. Melissa looked stunning in a black swingy knee-length dress and gold jewelry that matched her shoes. Her dark brown hair, which she usually wore in a tight ponytail was pilled on her head, only a few springy curls escaping and still looking sophisticated. She looked beautiful and happy. 

“Well, I got to say you boys clean up nice.”

Stiles smiled a little slyly, “I should give you the number of my personal designer. She is totally responsible for our attire.”

Melissa’s smile deepened and her cheeks pinked a little, “She is talented,” then she looked towards John who was still in conversation with the hostess, she nodded towards him “now Sir, since my husband abandoned me to walk to the ladies’ room alone would you do me the kind favor of walking me to my seat?”

She leaned forward and whispered, “And maybe save your father along the way?”

Stiles looked back and noted the hostess had her hand on his arm and was leaning towards the Sheriff. The older Stilinski was leaning a little back and was rubbing the back of his neck. That was a sure-fire tell that he was uncomfortable.

“Nope, I say we leave him, serves him right for flirting.”

Melissa laughed, a calming sound, as she shook her head and tugged him forward, “You boys are awful.”

Stiles winked at her, “You know it.”

Together they reached the hostess booth and collected his very frazzled father before Melissa let go of his arm and lead the way into the plethora of white linen-topped tables. His father followed at her side while Stiles stayed behind them.

Soon both of them stopped and Stiles knew this was it. He watched as Melissa walked around the table that had three men standing around it. She stopped next to the man that Stiles had only seen at the wedding from a distance, beside him was Scott who was wearing a tan colored suit that he had worn at the wedding. Stiles met his gaze and waved. Scott was literally bouncing on his toes as he waved back, looking like a puppy. Beside the mutt was Derek.

The Alpha, unlike most of the occupants of the room, wasn’t wearing a suit. The wolf was dressed in actual jeans. Nice jeans but still jeans. He had paired that with a light blue button-up shirt that was untucked and had forgone the tie. Stiles felt a little more comfortable standing close to him. Maybe he hasn’t underdressed after all.

Hazel green eyes clashed with hazel and Stiles was shocked at how predatory they appeared. With the candlelight coming off of the tables those unique eyes seemed to burn into Stiles. Derek smirked at the boy but nodded pleasantly. Honestly, the man was as easy to read an instruction manual written in ancient Chinese dialect.

Stiles settled on a short nod back really uncertain about what else he was supposed to do.

Melissa stopped next to a man with crystal blue eyes. Those eyes stared calculating at the Stilinski men but the man smiled welcoming and offered a hand Stiles father.

“Sheriff Stilinski, a pleasure to see you again.”

Stiles father reached out his own hand a genuine smile on his face, “Peter Hale, the pleasure is mine.”

Peter smiled back and the sheriff turned reached up a hand and placed it on Stiles’ shoulder drawing the boy closer to him as he stated in a voice dripping with pride, “This is my son, Stiles.”

Stiles smiled and let his manners, however little he had, take over. He met the calculating blue stare and stretched out his hand, “Nice to meet you.”

The man’s smile turned into a smirk, “About time, don’t you think.”

Stiles stiffened as they shook hands as Derek’s words came back to him.

Shame we couldn’t have met sooner.

So, he guessed they really were related. Despite his stiff muscles he maintained eye contact. He wasn’t stupid; looking away or dropping you gaze was considered submissive behavior among born wolves. So, he stayed focused on those blue eyes. Stiles knew it was a fine line. Too fierce a gaze and the wolf might take it as a threat. Stiles prayed he was nowhere near that.

“Sorry about that, just been busy.” His voice was even and non-threatening.

He watched as something akin to slight admiration flashed in Peter’s gaze but it lasted barely a second before the wolf shut it down and released Stiles’ hand.

Peter wrapped an arm around Melissa and Stiles noticed Scott and Derek had been watching the entire episode.

Great.

His dad shook hands with Derek and pulled Scott into a side hug. Scott who had a huge grin on his face grabbed Stiles and pulled him around to sit next to him.

As they sat down, Scott spoke in a hushed voice, “You made it!”

Stiles pulled an affronted look, “Are you saying you doubted me?”

Scott laughed easily, “Never, my man.”

Once they were all seated around the circular table a waiter appeared out of nowhere and everyone placed their drink order.

Stiles and his father ordered water after catching each other’s gaze, Scott ordered a soda as did Derek, but Melissa and Peter both ordered wine.

Once the waiter disappeared there was a moment of silence around the table.

No one moved.

‘ No one spoke.

Stiles shifted uncomfortably.

Well, this is awkward.

He glanced at his father who was solely focused on the menu and from the district pallor of his skin it wasn’t good.

Instead of looking at the menu, he would just order whatever his dad did, Stiles turned to Scott who was on his right, “So, did you read any of the reviews on the movie?”

Scott looked at him and shook his head, his hair swishing into his eyes, “No, but everybody at school seemed to like it.”

He was talking in a hushed voice which was so unlike Scott who was always so full of energy and prone to bouts of unexpected anxiety.

Stiles raised his brow at his friend and whispered back, “Why are you whispering?”

Scott blinked and whispered back, “I don’t know.”

Stiles laughed, “Then stop.”

Scott winced at the volume of Stiles’ voice and looked around but seemed to relax when nobody paid attention to them.

“These places just remind me of, like, a museum or a library or something,” Scott spoke a little louder as he fiddled with his napkin.

Stiles scoffed, “Like you come to these places often.”

Scott looked up a hint of a smile playing on his face, “Actually I do.”

Stiles blinked, “What? Since when?”

“Peter has meetings in places like this all the time.” Scott shrugged under his tan suit jacket.

“And he brings you?”

Scott nodded, “Yep, lately he has. I think he wants me to start getting involved in his work since Derek refuses too.”

Stiles leaned closer, “Isn’t he some kind of defense lawyer.”

Scott sent a wry look his way, “Yeah, only like the best in the state.”

Stiles’ eyebrow rose. He had known this guy had been good but not that good.

Scott pulled the napkin off the plate and unfolded it laying it on his lap, “His work is pretty cool.”

Here we go.

Stiles sighed internally. Scott was always trying to make everyone happy which was an endearing trait up to a point but sometimes it became just annoying.

“Scott you hate arguing.”

Scott groaned lowly rubbing the back of his neck, “I Know!”

Stiles turned further towards his brother, resting his arm along the back of his chair and gesturing with it, “You work at a vet’s office tell him that’s what you want to do.”

“I tried.”

Stiles snorted, “You looked at him a said, ‘I Scott McCall am going to Veterinarian school’?”

His best friend actually blushed, “Well not exactly?”

Yep, that’s what he had thought.

Stiles looked back at his own napkin then back at the one resting on the teen wolf’s knee and grinned as an idea came to mind. Reaching up, grabbed his and quickly unfolded it before looking up at his friend.

“So, you have been coming to these incredibly overpriced places for a while now?”

Scott’s blush deepened and he quickly looked around before hissing out, “Yes!”

“Good, then you know how to fold these like a swan?”

“Yes?”

Stiles grinned mischievously, “Wanna have a race?”

It was Scott’s turn to look unbelieving, “You know how to fold thinks to look like swans?”

Stiles shrugged already laying his napkin out on his lap, “Eh, I got bored in class.”

Scott looked nervously at the adults who by now were conversing; paying them no attention at all. He seemed to relax a little and he nodded straightening his own napkin.

Stiles counted down in a hushed voice trying to draw the least amount of attention possible, “Three. Two. One. GO!”

Both of them started to fold, fingers moving and creasing the pressed napkins into triangles. Stiles finished first and raised his hands. They played again and again and again. Stiles was heartened to note that after each game Scott seemed to lighten up a little. In the end, the boys became so focused on their game that they didn’t see the waiter come up and start taking orders.

Melissa had to call them out, “Boys!”

In unison, the boys jumped and looked and smiled guiltily at her.

“Yeah, Mom?”

“Sorry, Momma McCall.”

Everybody at the table was looking at them but Melissa only smiled and shook her head before pointing to the waiter still waiting for their orders. The man was younger and nice looking all except his face which held a sour look as he gazed at the teenagers.

Scott leaned back in his chair answering looking semi-relaxed, “I’ll have the usual, Rick.”

Stiles gawked at him.

Did he just call the waiter by name?

And order the usual?

What was Scott’s usual?

Probably nothing Stiles could afford. He glanced at his father suddenly feeling panicked. He had been so focused on playing with Scott that he had totally forgotten to listen to what his father had ordered. In addition, he hadn’t even looked at the menu.

Shit, Shit, Shit,

He tried to catch his father’s gaze but the old man was back to talking to Peter. The waiter, Rick, was looking expectant and slightly annoyed at Stiles; pen poised over the paper.

“Just give him my usual, Rick.”

Stiles swirled to face the man that had just ordered for him. Derek was leaning back in his chair totally commanding the space around him. He glanced back at Rick who had dropped the annoyed look and was scribbling away in his notebook before looking back at Derek with a much more pleasant look than the one he had given Stiles.

“Anything else, Mr. Hale?”

Derek shook his head and the waiter scuttled away.

Stiles gaped at the man, “What did you just order for me?”

He was starting to panic but to be honest Stiles thought he had the right to panic a little. Because come on! He might not know Derek a lot but he was pretty sure he wasn’t the salad eating kind of guy. Stiles prayed he didn’t order what he thought he did because if he did the Stilinski’s at the table were screwed.

Derek raised a dark bushy eyebrow, “Relax Stiles you’ll like it.”

“How do you know? Maybe I won’t?” It was official Stiles was panicking.

“Maybe you should call back the waiter. Rick, was that his name? Yeah, call back Rick and tell him to switch whatever you ordered me to a salad or something.”

Something that was decently priced.

Derek’s brow rose higher if that was even possible and he looked slightly amused if not unimpressed with Stiles suggestion.

“You could have ordered yourself if you weren’t so busy playing a game.”

Stiles didn’t squawk, really, he couldn’t in a place like this but what did come out sounded like a strangled squeak. Outraged the boy glanced at his friend for back up but Scott had joined the sheriff and Peter’s conversation.

Stiles turned back to glare at Derek, “Just tell me what you ordered,”

“No”

The man was infuriating, truly infuriating.

Stiles opened his mouth, ready to let the prick have it when those green eyes flashed red. It didn’t even last a second but it happened. All the spit in Stiles’ mouth dried up as he held that gaze. Derek leaned forward mirroring Stiles pose from earlier. One elbow rested on the table and the other rested on the back of the chair.

His eyes which were back to green definitely held a predatory glint now, the Alpha coming out in full force. Stiles wanted to lean back but knew better than to move.

Derek’s face gave nothing away, “You see, Stiles, it goes both ways.”

The boy gulped and fisted his hands in the napkin on his lap, strangling the half-formed swan, “What?”

Derek smirked, “I’m not your alpha, so you don’t have to listen to me. That’s what you tell yourself right?”

Stiles’ hands fisted tighter and his eyes narrowed. “It’s true.”

Derek nodded but didn’t drop his smirk, “Well you’re not my beta that means I don’t have to listen to you,”

Stiles glared.

Derek smirked, his eyes glinting dangerously in the flickering candlelight.

There stare down was cut short by the ringing of a phone. The noise seemed overly loud in the quiet restaurant. It was like one of those ‘No Phone’ commercials they had at the theaters accept it was coming from his father.

Everybody was looking their way as the sheriff pulled out his phone. Stiles watched as his father’s face went from relaxed to professional in a second. Standing from the table John sent am apologetic look around, “Excuse me, I have to take this.”

Everybody nodded and Mr. Stilinski started to walk away already pressing the phone to his ear. Stiles reached out and took a gulp of water listening to the silence fill the air. This time it was Melissa that broke it.

She smiled at Stiles, “So, you’ll never guess who came into the emergency room last night.”

Stiles purposely turned his focus away from the alpha and smiled back. “Who?”

Mrs. McCall – stiles didn’t care if she remarried or not- picked up her wine glass and gestured at Stiles with it, “The Atkinson boy, Aron and he told me something.”

Stiles’ smile slipped ever so slightly. He knew Aron Atkinson, he came to Stiles study group.

“oh?”

Taking a sip of wine, Melissa swallowed before answering, “He told me he had been going to a tutoring session every Friday.”

Scott nodded, “He needed it to, he was failing three classes.”

Stiles blushed looking at the table, “Seems smart.” He agreed.

Melissa’s eyes twinkled, “He said you taught it.”

Scott jerked, “What?”

Stiles fidgeted under everybody’s gaze, “Yeah, I lead them.”

Scott was staring at him in shock, “You don’t lead tutoring classes.”

Stiles straightened his knife and fork, “Yeah, I do.”

Scott’s brows furrowed, “Since when?”

“A few months.”

“You didn’t tell me that.” Scott was starting to look angry.

Stiles tensed feeling defensive, “Well, there hasn’t been time.”

The young wolf threw his napkin on the table, “When is there ever the time for you?”

Stiles tensed more, “Oh yeah, well what about you?”

Scott frowned, “what about me?”

“I told you months ago I couldn’t pick you up in the mornings and you didn’t even ask why! Well, now you know why!”

Scott scoffed, “So this is my fault?”

The main reason behind this conversation had been lost. Suddenly it wasn’t about Stiles leading a study group. No, both the boys were beginning to feel the months’ worth of frustration and separation building between them. The solid foundation of their family beginning to crack under the strain.

“No, that’s not what I’m saying,”

“Well, that’s what it sounds like!”

“All I’m saying is that we haven’t had time to talk!”

Their voices were rising, Peter looked around, “Boys?”

Neither one looked at him. Scott tensed further, “No, you haven’t made time! You always claim to be busy but you never are. You forget I know when your lying Stiles. I know all you do is sit at home.”

Stiles scoffed and looked around. “Really Scotty, I might just sit at home but at least I remember to include you. I don’t go off with whoever and do stuff without inviting you!”

Scott leaned forward, “I stopped inviting you because you never wanted to go.”

“Yeah Scott, sorry, I didn’t want to spend time with a bunch of people that I don’t know.”

“They are my pack, Stiles!” as he spoke his eyes flashed bright yellow as he started towards the human.

A lot happened in the seconds that followed.

Stiles stumbled back out of his chair.

Melissa stood up having been seated directly across from her son.

Peter was in front of Stiles blocking the teen wolf’s view of him.

Lastly, Derek was in front of Scott his hand behind his neck staring into his eyes and talking to him in a low voice. The Alpha red glowing.

Scott had almost wolfed out on Stiles. He had almost attacked him.

There my pack, Stiles!

It took less than a minute to calm Scott down but in that minute, Stiles realized something. He and his brother had grown further apart then he had thought. Stiles used to be part of Scott’s pack, used to belong. Now he was on the outside looking in. He felt a pain grow in his chest. A searing pain that only worsened, when Peter turned and said, “You should go.” He wasn’t being mean and his eyes were filled with pity. That almost made it worse.

Stiles nodded his gaze still on Scott. The wolf looked up and they locked eyes like they had done a hundred times in the past, but this time it was different. They both knew it. They both felt it. Distantly, Stiles could hear Peter explain away the incident as an asthma attack. Stiles said one last thing before he left, “I used to be too.”

The wolf flinched, not because Stiles was being cruel, but because he heard the truth in buddy’s voice and realized what he had said moments earlier.

Stiles turned around and grabbed his fathers coat off the back of the chair before striding towards the doors. He found his father right outside just hanging up his phone.

His father grinned at him, “Hey, coming out to check on your old m- “only he broke off before finishing, having got a clear view of his son’s face.

He stepped forward, suddenly all serious, “What happened?”

Stiles shook his head, “Can we go?” his voice was hoarse, scratchy.

Whatever the Sheriff saw in his son’s face was enough to get him moving.

“Yeah, here go to the car,” He reached into his jeans and pulled out the keys. “I’ll go pay really quick.”

Stiles nodded and grabbed the keys letting the cold metal ground him as he started to the car. The ten-minute walk seemed like an eternity but once he arrived he unlocked the car and slid into the seat. The lights from the nearby storefronts were casting glares out on the window. Stiles stared at the glares until the door next to him popped open and his father slumped in. He slammed his door closed and looked out the front windshield.

“You want to talk about it?”

Stiles shook his head.

John studied his son before starting the car and heading home. When he went back inside the place Melissa had looked at him and he had known whatever happened was bad. Scott wouldn’t meet his gaze and the whole family seemed tense. Peter had insisted on paying which John was glad for. His son needed him right now.

As they started home Stiles couldn’t help but think about the night. They had gone tonight to settle the rift between them. To bring the families back together but now it seemed they were farther apart. Stiles rested his head against the window. His father was right.

Tonight had been a long time coming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Guys!!!!!!  
> What's up!!!
> 
> let me first start out by saying, I'M SORRY!!  
> My word account crashed and I was left two weeks without writing!!!! It is up now so chapters should flow more regularly. Okay, notes on this chapter, it is a bit of a downer sorry but it flowed really nice when I was writing it. Stiles just made the decision to make it work for him and his friend, but how many times do we do that and get sent back ten steps. that is what this chapter represents for me. Stiles uphill climb and set back.  
> Please stay tuned for more, I Promise it will work itself out.  
> Let me know what y'all think!!!!


	5. The Anonymous Gift

Stay away from Scott, Stay away from Scott, Stay away from Scott….  
This was Stiles mantra the next day at school. He was sitting inside his jeep tapping on the steering wheel, willing himself to believe that he was able to do this. That he would do this. Stiles had spent the entire morning trying just about everything to get out of School. He had turned off his alarm, feigned an illness to which his father quickly called bullshit, and then when those failed he played his last resort card.  
Bribery.  
Oh yeah, that’s how low he had sunken. He had bribed the Sheriff with the man’s favorite dessert, double chocolate chip cookies with extra chocolate chips thrown in. From the look on the Sheriff’s face Stiles was sure he had won; only to be crushed with defeat.  
“What happened to not using food against me?”  
Stiles winced, “Technically I haven’t done anything this time.”  
“Stiles you can’t hide from him the rest of your life; so, why not just get it over with?”  
He buried himself under the covers, “Who says I can’t hide? I am a very accomplished hider, just ask – “  
He cut himself off before finishing and a telling silence that filled the air.  
His father sighed, “Stiles you guys will work this out, you always do.”  
Instead of answering, Stiles simply buried himself deeper into his sheets. He wished he had his father’s confidence because he wasn’t so sure. After last night, Stiles wasn’t sure that his friendship could survive all the rapid changes their bond had gone through. First Scott got bit, then Scott’s mother met Peter, and Scott had met Derek which led to the joining of the pack. Momma McCall remarried and the Alpha moved the pack down to Beacon Hills. It had been so much in such a short length of time. Stiles couldn’t help but wonder if it had been too much.  
When it became clear that his son wasn’t going to answer the Sheriff sighed, “I’m not going to let you walk away, that’s not what Stilinski’s do. We don’t walk away from family.”  
Stiles closed his eyes fighting against the pain in his chest that hadn’t faded since last night, in fact, it had spread to his stomach and head. This dull ache that was almost unbearable.  
When he spoke, his words came out shuttered and sounding painful, “I don’t know if he is family, anymore.”  
The boy listened to thudding footsteps, then his bed sank. His body slid towards the dip and he felt his father place a hand on his shoulder. Stiles’ fingers clenched tighter on the blankets he was holding over his head.  
“He is.”  
The Sheriff might not know what fully happened last night, but for one thing, he was certain. He knew his son was hurt but no matter what Scott did Stiles would always love him. Hell, his son had helped that kid even after discovering he was a werewolf, had helped the teen wolf work on his control without the guidance of anyone, and fought with Scott against a rogue werewolf. If the boys could go through all that without breaking then they could undoubtedly recover from this. At least that was what John was hoping.  
Stiles sat up abruptly, throwing the covers off himself, knocking his father’s hand off in the process, and scrubbed a hand through hair. He felt nervous energy buzzing through him, a constant call to move and worry. It put his teeth on edge and caused his frustration to mount, making his words come out sharp and biting, filled with pain, “Well then, I don’t know if I’m part of his family!”  
His father raised a brow at him, looking unimpressed with his outburst, “He’s your brother. It shouldn’t matter if he considers you his or not, I raised you to fight for what you believe in.”  
Stiles drew up his knees, tapping his legs in a random beat in an attempted to release some energy.  
God, he needed his Adderall.  
He dropped his gaze and continued to tap as his father continued, “I know there is still a part of you that believes in him, no matter how small.”  
Dropping his head to his knees, he sighed feeling like a sixth grader when he said, “Please, can I just miss one day.”  
His father had only, shaken his head, stood up, crossed his arms and donned his best ‘parent’ expression; giving him a sympathetic yet unyielding look. It was then that Stiles knew he had been beaten. So, with a sigh and a groan, the boy had pulled himself out of bed and towards the shower. His old man’s words still ringing in his ears.  
Now as he sat staring at the school he felt clueless on what to do; so, he decided to just avoid Scott altogether. Call him a coward but it seemed the only sensible decision.  
The boy shoved his door open and jumped out of the jeep, “Stay away from Scott, away from Scott.”  
Taking one last steadying breath he walked determinedly towards the School. He pushed open the doors and headed to his locker. Plan Distance had its steps. Step one: Make it to school before Scott. Step two: grab all the books he would need for today, thus eliminating the possibility of running into Scott by their lockers. Step three: make it through the day.  
See it was a pretty simple plan after all. Maybe kinda shady and not thought through all the way, but it was simple. Stiles could deal with simple. So far ‘Step one’ passed with flying colors. Onto the ensuing step. Stiles waved at a few of his classmates on the way to his locker. Fumbling through the combination, he pulled off his lock and swung it open. What he expected to see was his somewhat crazy locker, filled to the max with books, notebooks, comics, and the occasional sweatshirt thrown in. Instead, Stiles stared, open-mouthed and flabbergasted at the state of his locker.  
The whole thing had been cleaned out, his school books had been stacked neatly, laying one on top of the other; the notebooks and comics resting upright between the stack of books and the wall, their spines arranged tallest to shortest; and his numbered ‘Beacon Hill Lacrosse’ sweatshirt folded neatly on top of his school books in the very back of his locker. However, held his attention because all of that stuff had resided in his locker before, albeit rearranged in a disconcerting display of organization. What didn’t belong in his locker was the small bunch of bright yellow flowers.  
“What the hell?”  
Someone had broken into his locker, rearranged everything, and left him flowers? This had to be a joke. A slightly creepy joke but still a joke. He was sure that somewhere Greenburg and Lewis, the two biggest pranksters in the School, were hiding somewhere watching him. That had to be it.  
Right?  
His fingers gripped the worn metal door harder. He was still pondering when someone called his name.  
Still a little distracted, Stiles turned to see Sylvia standing behind him. Stiles’ brow furrowed, the sight of the bubbly blonde girl, with her flawless makeup and blonde hair which was piled on top of her head in some kind of complicated knot jerked him out of his stupor.  
“Yo?” it came out a question because why would someone as beautiful as Sylvia be talking to him outside of his study sessions.  
The girl tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ears and grinned shyly at him, looking uncomfortable.  
“Um, hey”  
Stiles let go of his locker door leaving it open and slid his backpack off his shoulder unzipping it as he answered, “Hey, what’s up?”  
Sylvia shuffled her feet, “You do chemistry tutoring, right.”  
Oh, that’s why she was talking to him.  
Stiles inwardly rolled his eyes at the way she phrased it like a question. Everybody knew he had a chemistry session. Isaac, he understood, the kid did just move here but to the rest of BHHS Stiles had become the one stop shop for anything chemistry. A fact that irked the hell out of Harrison which always made Stiles day.  
“Yeah, Wednesdays.”  
She nodded reaching up and grabbing the strap of her bag, “Could you use one more?”  
Another mind eye roll, why was it so hard for his fellow students to ask for help. He didn’t need one more person. Technically he didn’t need any of them to show up.  
“Sure, why not.”  
Stiles watched as her shoulders relaxed ever so slightly and she nodded eyes drifting to the row of lockers and consequently Stiles still wide open one. Her eyes widened.  
“Did someone leave you flowers?”  
Stiles winced at the volume of her voice,  
“Shhh,” shushed while looking widely around the hallway. He wasn’t going to give pranking duo the satisfaction of letting this prank spread.  
Sylvia’s lips twitched and her eyes filled with gleeful giddiness as she watched him shove the offending bright blooms into his backpack, “Oh my God, someone did! Someone left you flowers!”  
God help him, with agitated movements he zipped his backpack and tossing it over his shoulder.  
“I can’t believe this! That is so cute.”  
Waving his arms around, Stiles shushed her again. Eyes narrowed, he put his finger in front of his lips, “Yes! Alright! Yes! Someone left flowers now will you SHUT UP!”  
Still smiling, Sylvia adjusted her bag on her shoulder. Her head tilted making her hair slide over her eyes, giving her a positively impish look.  
“Come on Stilinski, it’s sweet.”  
Stiles most currently didn’t blush, really, he didn’t. “It isn’t sweet.”  
Sylvia cocked a hip and crossed her arms. She was looking around him at his bag. Stiles had to stifle the urge to turn farther away to conceal the bag from her probing eyes.  
“Who do you think left them?”  
He slammed his locker shut while simultaneously rubbing the back of his neck, “Greenburg.”  
Sylvia’s eyebrows scrunched, “Why would Greenburg leave you flowers?” She tilted her head, “I mean don’t get me wrong, I had guessed the whole gay thing but you can do so much better than Greenburg.”  
Stiles stopped rubbing his neck and gaped at her, “What?”  
“Stiles you asked Danny if he thought you were attracted in front of the whole chemistry class.”  
Huh, he had forgotten about that.  
Shaking his head, Stiles put his elbow on the locker and shoved Sylvia closer to the row of metal. Looking around Stiles leaned closer keeping his voice low, “Look, this isn’t sweet, it’s just another prank and I refuse to give them the satisfaction of blowing it out of proportion.”  
She rolled her eyes, muttering “boys” then saying louder, “Stiles, those flowers looked expensive and someone had taken the time to wrap them in paper; plus, they broke into your locker to leave them there.” She shrugged, “Seems like an awful lot of trouble to go to for some silly prank.”  
With that, she stepped back and winked at him, “Whoever they are must really like you.”  
Stiles rolled his eyes with a scoff. His bet was still on Greenburg; although what she said made sense logically, Greenburg’s pranks tended to be long and drawn out. Like last summer a town meeting, him and Lewis baked cookies for the whole town, when their goal was to give one batch, made with chili powder instead of cinnamon to Finstock right before his annual ‘funding for the team’ speech. See to any normal person that would be going to a lot of trouble. To Greenburg and Lewis, it was just the perfect amount of trouble.  
Upon seeing Stiles obvious disbelief Sylvia winked again and began walking away, throwing out one last parting comment, “Talk to Scott about it like you do everything else. I’m sure he can talk some sense into you.”  
All the blood fleeing from his cheeks, Stiles’ stomach tightened like someone had sucker punched him in the gut, but he still called out, “I’ll get right on that.”  
She laughed and turned around yelling down the hallway, “If it’s a girl you better watch out, they always have a plan!”  
Stiles sighed, ignoring the looks from his fellow students and kicked the locker below his gently with the two of his sneakers. Damn it. Internally he knew Sylvia hadn’t known, although the fact that they didn’t hang out as much had become old news to the small school, Stiles and Scott were seen joking around just yesterday. There was no way she could have known. Somehow that didn’t stop the pain and frustration from bubbling up again.  
Opening his locker again, he grabbed his systematically organized books and slammed the door close with a little more aggression then strictly necessary. Deep inside he knew that the actuality of his plan working was slim to none but part of him was banking on it. H didn’t know if he could physically go through another confrontation with Scott.  
With his arms and his heart burdened with heavy things, whether it be books or thoughts, he headed off to his first class which today happened to be chemistry. He didn’t mind, at least with Harrison, he could blow off some steam by pissing him off.

_________________________________________________________________________________

“Yeah Dad, I’ll drop by.” Stiles jumped into his jeep and started it up, peeling out of the school parking lot.  
“Thanks, Bud,” His father’s voice was stressed and Stiles briefly wondered what was going on at the station.  
He could definitely hear movement in the background. Yells, quiet voices, telephone rings all blended into a static background noise almost like the sound of waves crashing onto a beach. His father’s voice, crisp and clean, the only sound piercing through. An anchor in the sea.  
“I can’t talk long but how was school? Did you and Scott hash things out?”  
Stiles thought back, running the events of the day back through his conscious. Plan Distance had actually worked out better than he had hoped. He went through his Tuesday classes, none of which he shared with Scott, without a hitch. After class he would talk to the teachers, asking any questions he had about the material until he had to flee to his next class. His only main concern had been lunch. Considering his new lunch table had been compromised, Stiles was faced with a dilemma. Where to eat?  
Ultimately, he decided just to surrender his lunch table and eat in the cafeteria. Selecting a table near a window, he began to chow down on the best BHHS had to offer. Curly fries half finished, Stiles had just glanced out the window when he got his first glimpse of the teen wolf. Well, he guessed now Scott was just one of the teen wolves but whatever. The wolf was covered in sweat, looking much like he had this time yesterday, standing by Stiles’ abandoned table looking around. After a few minutes of glancing this way and that the wolf gingerly sat down looking……... troubled???  
That was the only way Stiles could think to describe the multitude of emotions covering Scott’s face. Stress and anxiety were pouring off him in waves that Stiles was sure he could feel from where he was sitting, even with the wall between them. Somewhere in the deepest avenue of his brain, Stiles wondered if he was waiting for him.  
As the minutes passed, Scott seemed to be getting more fidgety. Lunch period had just hit the halfway mark when, just like yesterday, the pack began to filter towards the table one by one. All of them seemed to glance around when they saw their newest pack member without his human sidekick. The pack bond was strong between all of them, which meant all of Scott’s emotions was affecting each of them. Even Lydia who reached to place a hand on his shoulder when the bell rang.  
Stiles watched all of this and part of him wanted to run out there to his best friend but the other part was still curled in ball replaying Scott’s words from last night.  
There’s never the time with you!  
There my pack Stiles!  
So, Stiles numbly put his tray down and followed the crowd as they filed out to there afternoon classes, which passed by quickly and much like the morning classes had. Stiles clunkered to a stop at a stop sign with a sigh, “No, not yet.”  
He listened to his father’s sigh, “Sti- “  
His father's voice was cut off by someone in the background calling the sheriff’s name, then the phone was muffled. In the ensuing silence, Stiles rumbled down the quiet streets of Beacon Hills. His plan had been to head straight home but the old man had asked him to stop by the vet’s office to pick up the prescription for one of the station's dogs. Not usually something a teenage boy would do but…...small town…. so yeah…  
His father unmuffled the phone, “Listen bud, I have to go but we are not done talking about this, understood?”  
Stiles inwardly groaned but nevertheless grumbled, “yeah, okay, fine,”  
He pictured his father nodding once as he said, “Good, I’ll be a little late tonight but I know you will be awake so we will talk then.”  
Stiles blew a raspberry into the phone and ended with a, “Whatever you say Pops?”  
To which the reply was, “Catcha later Kid.”  
Call disconnected Stiles flipped his phone into the passenger seat and turned into the local vet’s parking lot. A year and a half ago Stiles had never even spoken to the reclusive vet. Sure, he had known Scott had worked for him and thought very highly of him but that was the entirety of his knowledge of the man. All that had changed when facing the rouge alpha.  
In reality, the towns ‘veterinarian’ was also an ex-emissary, which was some kind of mystical adviser for packs, and had lent his knowledge to the boys. Knowledge on rouges, on werewolves in general, and on human protection. He had gifted to Stiles a huge book filled with information on how to calm down a wolf or how to keep them from attacking you. Stiles had briefly skimmed over it thinking at the time that Scott and he had built Scott’s control up by then.  
Maybe he should crack it open again.  
The leather-bound book still on his mind, he jumped out of the jeep and pushed open the door to the office, smiling at the man behind the counter, “Yo, Doc?”  
The dark mahogany skinned male smiled his trademark gentle smile that reached all the way to his eyes, at the boy, “Stiles haven’t seen you around here in a while.”  
Stiles threw his bag on a waiting chair, walking up to the desk and leaning his elbows on it, “Yeah, well with the pack moving in Scott doesn’t really need the help anymore.”  
Deaton wiped his hands down with a cloth nodding, “He has been settling in well.”  
Stiles forced a grin. Deaton would know more than Stiles, you see Scott wasn’t the only one that joined the pack earlier in the year, Deaton had been invited as well. The ex- emissary has dropped the ex and is back in practice.  
“Yeah, he has.”  
Deaton looked up at the boy’s tone before dropping the cloth on the counter, “Anyway how can I help you today?”  
His eyes twinkled a little brighter when he asked, “More questions on werewolves?”  
Stiles’ grin became a genuine at the jab, “Nah, I won’t pester you with any more of those, I’m actually here for a prescription? I think it was Rascal’s?”  
The vet nodded and opened a filing cabinet flicking through the neatly folded paper bags, each holding a pet’s information and filled the prescription, before pulling one out. Setting it to the side the doctor pulled out a clipboard and grabbed a pen.  
Handing both to Stiles, the doc gestured to the paper, “Just write your name down and the date so they know you were the one to pick it up. I’ll bill the station.”  
Stiles nodded and scrawled his name down feeling the man’s dark penetrating gaze on him, he had just finished writing the date when the guy spoke again.  
“Actually, Stiles I am glad you came in today,”  
Stiles passed the clipboard back, “Oh?”  
“I found some more books on pack dynamics while going through some of my things, thought you might be interested in them.”  
Stiles blinked, stunned the guy had thought of him, “Um yeah, actually that would be great.”  
The Vet nodded smiling gently at the boys shocked look, “There sitting on the corner of my desk.”  
He nodded at the back door, “Why don’t you go get them while I finish the paperwork?”  
Stiles grinned and ducked under the counter yelling, “Just throw the meds in my backpack, will ya?”  
Upon entering the backroom Stiles quickly located the books on the desk pushed up against the wall. Everything was neatly organized on the desk and the chair was pushed in. Stiles rolled out the chair and sank into it, with excited fingers he grabbed the first book and began to thumb through it.  
The first book was mainly wolf history so Stiles quickly moved on to the next.  
The second book was a little better and offered a couple chapters which gave information on accepted rituals of the pack.  
The third book, however, is where Stiles struck gold.  
Alpha changes. Accepted beta behavior. Submitting to the Alpha. Accepting new members. The losing of members. New pack behavior. Packs at war. Pack bonds. Humans pack bonds. Emissaries roles.  
Stiles read down the chapter index. He wouldn’t believe it this book offered a chapter on everything he would ever need to know. He hugged the book to his chest and stood up, he would be taking this one. The other two had held no interest to him but this one. He wanted this one.  
Walking back to the front of the store, he rounded the counter to see Dr. Deaton standing by his open backpack. his back was to him but Stiles could see he was holding up the yellow flowers that the boy had all but forgotten about.  
Stiles cleared his throat, fingers gripping the spine of the book as he ducked under the counter again, “I found them. I only took one of them, but I might read the other ones later.”  
Slowly the man turned around looking stiff, it was only when he was turned completely towards Stiles, that he could make out the look of pure horror plastered to his face.  
Stiles stilled as a mixture of confusion and weariness filled his expression, “Doc?”  
Deaton held the flowers up higher, “Stiles, why do you have wolfsbane your backpack?”  
The boy frowned “What?”  
Deaton dropped his bag causing the contents to go spilling out all over the floor and walked to the front door flipping the sign. With a flick of his wrist, the doctor secured the latch, the small sound spreading across the waiting room and sending chills up Stiles' spine.  
Turning back around the man pointed towards the backroom, eyes serious and face hard, “Exam room, now.”  
Stiles went. How could he not? This man had risked his life trying to defend Scott and Stiles’ stumbling asses more times than the boy can count. Giving away centuries-old secrets in an attempt to save their butts and takedown an alpha.  
Deaton shut the doors to the exam room and pulled up a table dropping the flowers on it, the yellow blooms bouncing off the hard surface. Stiles stood on the opposite of the table wearily watching the emissary placed his hands on the corners of the table and leaned in.  
“Where did you get, these?”  
Stiles nervously placed his own hands on the table, unconsciously copying the man’s actions, “They were left in my locker this morning as a prank.”  
Deaton’s eyes glinted and he tilted his head, eyes laser-like on him, making Stiles squirm more, “Left by whom?”  
Stiles shrugged helplessly, “Greenburg probably maybe Lewis.”  
Those were the most obvious but honestly, it could have been any number of guys on the team. Stiles was a bench warmer, that made him prime pranking material. Someone easy for the other guys to pick on and receive little to no grief from the coach. Anyone of them could have left them.  
Deaton’s gaze never faltered as he sighed and picked up one of the blooms, “Stiles this wasn’t left by a high school student.”  
Stiles frowned and opened his mouth but Deaton continued.  
“These flowers,” He paused and touched a petal, “are an extremely rare form of wolfsbane.”  
Stiles’ blood ran cold, slowly he lowered his gaze down to the flowers laying beautifully innocent on the cold steel table.  
“But wolfsbane is purple.”  
Stiles didn’t know why but that seemed important. Like really important. All Stiles had known on the subject of Wolfsbane is that it was a purple flower that wolves had a tendency to go crazy around. Back when Scott had first turned Stiles had almost died because of the purple nuisances.  
Deaton nodded still holding the solitary bloom, “You’re right, but there is another kind, an extremely rare kind that is yellow.”  
Stiles was sick, he had been walking around the school all day with those on his backpack. If he had stopped to talk to Scott… had gone up to him at lunch like part of him was clawing to…  
Stiles scrubbed his fingers through his hair roughly turning away from the table and pacing a little farther away, mumbling to himself as he paced, “Greenburg must have found them in the woods- “  
“Stiles!”  
Stiles stopped pacing and faced the doc, who was now crossing his arms and looking sever by the second, “These flowers are rare, extremely rare they are virtually impossible to find one growing in captivity and are extinct in the wild.” He walked around the table and leaned back on it, “like I said, these weren’t left to you by any of the high school students.”  
Stiles laced his hands behind his neck and stared at the man, “Then who left them?”  
Deaton shrugged, then placed a hand by each hip back on the table, “There is something else because this wolfsbane is so rare, it is an anomaly that any wolf would ever come into contact with it. Therefore, they have very little tolerance with it.”  
Stiles began to feel weak all over, he dropped his gaze to the flowers again as Deaton continued.  
“While regular wolfsbane makes a newly turned werewolf cranky it won’t kill him unless it has been ingested or injected directly into the bloodstream. This kind,” he jerked a thumb over his shoulder, “Will cause any wolf newly made or born to lose control within seconds of being in its vicinity; additionally, it will cause death in seconds if swallowed or injected.”  
Stiles gulped and looked back up at the Emissary, “So, if I had run into Scott today at school.”  
Deaton looked calmly back at him, “He would have killed you and many others.”  
_____________________________________________________________________________________  
By the time Stiles had pulled into his driveway the sun was setting. The golden blaze casting shadows across the ground and lighting the sky in brilliant shades of orange and pink. This had always been Stiles’ favorite part of the day, only now he was finding he couldn’t enjoy it. Not when his talk with Deaton still fresh in his mind.  
“Stiles, whoever left this had the intention of setting a wolf to lose on not only you but a school filled with innocent people.”  
Stiles clenched his fists, “I know Deaton.”  
Deaton set his own fisted hands on the table between them, “Then you need to consult, the pack.” Stiles turned around walking away before coming back to the table in jerky steps, “Get rid of the flowers.”  
Irritation filled the wise brown eyes, “That won’t solve the problem if they bring more back.”  
Stiles pointed at the doctor, starting to panic, “You said it yourself, that this stuff is rare.”  
A fist banged the table, “This doesn’t only affect you, Stiles, it also affects Scott,” Deaton pointed fingers as he counted off, “Isaac, Jackson, Boyd, Erica, Peter, Derek and any humans they are around.”  
He glared at the human, “They need to know and if you are not going to tell them then I will,” his gaze hardened, “I won’t lose another pack.”  
Stiles had left shortly after that, he had simply turned and walked out of the clinic in a daze. He drove home on autopiloted and now sat in front of his house, staring at the old bricks. The driveway was empty meaning his father was still at the station. Stiles slowly climbed out of the car and trudged up the walk and into the house.  
Still feeling like he was in shock, Stiles dropped his keys off at the kitchen table and started towards the stairs, hand dragging on the railing as he went. While his body felt drained and tired, his mind was still going a million miles a minute, thoughts whizzing around and questions piling up, clogging his brain. He desperately wanted to sleep that way his thoughts would silence but he knew that that would be impossible right now.  
Stiles pushed open his bedroom door and walked into the semi-dark room, his bedroom was located opposite the setting sun and pushed the door shut behind him. Turning around he slumped up against and rubbed the back of his neck.  
He could have died today.  
It was hard to even fathom that something as innocent as yellow flowers could have set five werewolves loose on a school full of frail humans. People would have died and it would have been all of his faults. He would have been the reason behind all that death and destruction. Now he understood it wouldn’t have all been his fault. Someone had left the flowers in Stiles’ locker, n Stiles extremely clean locker. Honestly, that didn’t make sense either.  
What killer cleans the locker of their victim?  
His hands abandoned his neck and scrubbed roughly down his face. He knew that the time of calm was over and that something had answered the beacons call just as Deaton had warned them something would but Stiles didn’t know if he was ready for it. When taking on the rouge Stiles had ended up in the hospital in a coma, that’s how it had ended and now something else was beginning. Beginning with death flowers.  
He rubbed down until his hands were only covering his mouth then stopped, his head tilting. There was a weird glare coming from his laptop screen, which he always left up. Stiles pushed away from the door and stepped closer his desk hands falling to his side. It was two red glares glinting off the screen.  
Stiles took another step and another until he was leaning against his desk, palms down on either side of the computer staring at the ruby pinpoints. Tilting the scree up to bring the light into better focus, Stiles felt his blood run cold as he slowly turned around and faced the darkest corner of his bedroom. Where the only light that filled the room was originating from, the fiery gaze was coming from a man sitting in the corner of Stiles’ room in a chair. A chair, Stiles distantly noted, that belonged in the kitchen which he had walked through to reach his room. How could he have missed that?.  
Derek was leaning forward in the chair rolling Stiles’ rarely used lacrosse stick around looking squarely at the boy.  
His lips quirked in a way that no one could mistake for friendly, “Hello Stiles,”  
Stiles nervously looked around his bedroom, “What are you doing here?”  
Derek lifted the stick to lay it across his knees as he answered, “Deaton called about thirty minutes ago, you have something you wanna tell me?”  
Stiles took a small step towards the door, maintaining eye contact with the blood red gaze. He was in a precarious situation right now one he had only been in once before and that incident had left him a vegetable. He would rather not go through that again.  
Stiles went to take another step as he answered, “Nothing happened.”  
He knew lying to Derek in this state would be downright stupid and just piss off the wolf, even more, so he met the Alpha’s eyes and told the truth, “Deaton got rid of them.”  
His stick was kicked off the man’s knees and Derek caught it with one hand, “Who left them?”  
Stiles took another small step those eyes tracking his every move, still, he replied with strict honesty, “I don’t know.”  
Derek nodded and stood up, ignoring the boy’s step backward and threw the lacrosse stick onto the Stiles’ bed.  
He crossed his arms, leveling a look at him the red leeching out of his gaze, “We need to come to an understanding, Stiles.”  
Stiles was about an arms distance to the door, “About what?”  
Derek smirked, “Our standing, and your standing with the pack.”  
Stiles paused mid-step, hands and teeth clenching as he grabbed the doorknob, no longer so afraid now that the wolf seemed to be in better control, “I don’t stand with them.”  
Derek’s smirk seemed to grow as he uncrossed his arms and lunged.  
It happened faster than Stiles’ human eyes could track, one second, he was across the room the next the Alpha was tearing his hand away from the knob and shoving him up against his own bedroom door.  
Stiles squeaked and stilled as red filled the man’s eyes again, “That’s going to change.”  
Once again the only one thought flitted across his brain, well shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is!!!!!!!  
> This chapter was so much fun to write because of all the characters. I love Stiles interaction with Sylvia, Deaton and Stiles interaction, and of course........STEREK!!!!!!  
> Stiles and Scott's friendship is still hanging my thread but we will see what will happen between those two in future chapters and the next chapter is sure to have more STEREK...  
> Thoughts, Questions, let me know!!!!!!!!  
> Thanks, Guys!!!!!!!!


	6. You Say What Now?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry this is sooooooo late, but PLEASE have some grace with me. It has been a long couple of months. My family has been dealing with some family stuff and then I had to prepare for classes.  
> My point being is yes this is late, but I wanted you to know that I am still writing and still very into this story!!!  
> I hope y'all bare with me as we move forward because I think its pretty obvious that my education comes first.  
> Thank ya for all your support and (hopefully) understanding!  
> Love ya Guys!!!!  
> Enjoy Chapter Six!!!!

Derek still had his ever-present smirk in place, “Let's talk Stiles.”

Stiles swallowed, his throat suddenly dry, but can you blame him. He was firm against the door, essentially backed into a corner. This was not good. Not good at all.

“You know now really isn’t the greatest time, I’ve got homework to do, research to follow up on. So, why don’t you leave and come back? How does noon on never, work for you?”

Derek raised an eyebrow, “Did you expect that to work?”

Stiles shrugged, _not really no._

However, he was in an extreme position, and sarcasm was easy to fall back on. Letting out sharp biting words was his specialty. It had been his defense for many years, and it was a damn good defense, thank you very much. Well maybe it had been more of a distraction, but that’s just semantics.

Derek’s smirk fell, and his face became serious, “You haven’t talked to Scott yet have you?”

Stiles blinked, then his eyes narrowed. “No, I haven’t. not like that is any of your business.”

He should have known this is what it would come to. Of course, he would want to talk to about Scott. Everyone wanted to talk about Scott. Well, you know what? Stiles didn’t.

He didn’t want to talk about the young werewolf. He didn’t want to talk about the night at the restaurant or about their fight. He didn’t want to talk about the ever-growing distance forming between the two of them or about how as that distance grows his connection to the other wolves does as well. Leaving Stiles alone. In fact, he didn’t want to talk period.

Derek frowned, “He told me he was going to talk to you at lunch?”

Stiles looked away, “I was busy at lunch.”

Derek’s gaze seemed to soften a little which made irritated the boy more.

“You need to talk to him, Stiles?”

And that is when he snapped. Like full on snapped. In that instant, Stiles had had enough. Without warning, he pushed the Alpha with all his strength getting more infuriated when he didn’t even rock slightly back.

“What am I supposed to talk about with him? Why don’t you tell me, oh great Alpha? Tell me what I am supposed to say to my best friend because it seems that you know him better than me. Am I supposed to say I’m sorry? Sorry that I didn’t want to hang out with a bunch of freakin’ werewolves after the last one we met. Sorry, that I pulled away and gave him space as he adjusted to a new family. Sorry, that every freakin’ problem seems to be my fault. Is that what I am ‘supposed’ to say? Because if it is, you can forget it.”

He finished his rant by pushing harder against the wolfs incredibly hard chest with everything he had.

_Holy shit, it ’s like pushing against a brick wall._

Stiles wasn’t looking directly at the wolf during this so when he suddenly backed off, Stiles fell forward. The man caught him, solid arms grabbing him around the waist and steadying him easily. Stiles quickly brushed him off, not meeting his gaze.

Derek was silent for a few minutes; then he backed further away from the suddenly fragile boy.

Then, “Do you know what happens when a wolf doesn’t have a pack?”

Stiles frowned.

_What?_

He looked at Derek, only then noticing how tired the Alpha seemed. He watched as the man ran a hand through his permanently messy hair. Derek met his case, “Just answer the question, Stiles.”

Stiles rubbed the back of his neck. “They’re weaker, they don’t have a leader, so they feel more out of control, but we worked on that. It took a few tries, but he was able to make it through a full moon with thought so much as a twitch.”

Derek nodded leaning against Stiles’ desk and fixing his jacket, “Exactly, when I first met Scott I was amazed at his control. I have been working with the betas for close to a year, and they still have trouble. However, because of the circumstances behind Scott’s transformation he never experienced a pack bond before.”

Stiles stayed silent, waiting for the alpha to continue.

Derek picked up a pencil and twirled it in his fingers, “So, when he joined the pack things changed drastically. He suddenly wasn’t alone anymore. He went from not having anyone to having seven packmates overnight. Suddenly he could feel seven different people everywhere he went. Their happiness, sadness, frustration, and anger.”

The wolf stopped twirling the pencil, dropping his hand to his leg, “Imagine being alone and then abruptly having close to ten people all broadcasting their feelings on to you.”

Stiles rolled his eyes, “ I have ADHD, trust me I know about having trouble focusing.”

The wolf considered him for a minute before nodded, “But Scott doesn’t. What do you think that did to his control?”

Stiles stayed silent. It was a rhetorical question. He had often wondered what it was like for other people, being able to focus for longer than five minutes on something. To be in control. He was never in control, and while he had trained himself to focus on stuff, he knew it wasn’t the same. However, he never thought about it in reverse. What it would be like going from nothing to everything in just one decision.

Derek pushed off from the desk, drawing Stiles attention back to him, “It started small, if he was angry at one of the pups his eyes would flash, then during the planning for Melissa and Peter’s wedding he got overwhelmed, and his claws came out. I thought he would get a handle on it, so I left him alone.”

He smirked to himself, “We didn’t get along very well back then, and he didn’t trust me to help him. I figured I would let him take care of it his one way.”

The wolf met Stiles’ gaze, “it went down-hill from there. Slipping little by little until last night it just,” he held up the pencil and with a snap of his thumb and index finger it snapped in half.

Stiles watched as half of the pencil fell to the floor in what seemed like slow motion. It bounced once then rolled under the desk.

He crossed his arms, “Why are you telling me this?”

Derek stepped closer crossing his own arms, one hand still holding the tortured half of the pencil, “I need your help.”

Stiles jerked, his eyebrows flying up, “What?”

Derek smirked, then repeated his words only this time slowly, “ _I. Need. Your. Help._ ”

Stiles glared, “I heard you Asshole, I meant why would you need my help?”

Derek raised a brow at the name but otherwise didn’t bite.

_Ha! Bite! Werewolf humor!_

“You taught him control before; I have confidence you can do it again.”

Stiles stepped back sputtering. He uncrossed his arms and flailed a little, “Yes! I did, but was before he almost attacked me in front of my father!”

He waited for a second, “In a very public place mind you. Even when he was first bitten his control wasn’t that bad.”

Derek followed his step, “I know he’s tried to attack you before Stiles.”

Although he didn’t outright roll his eyes, it was heavily implied in his voice. The wolf’s arms hung loosely by his size and his legs slightly placed apart. His body language screamed, calm and soothing. Stiles took another step back. Distantly he noted that he did this a lot around the wolf.

He flailed again, “Yeah, and I stopped him with a fire extinguisher. Am I just supposed to carry one around with me everywhere? Need I remind you that I am human. Weak, powerless, and what’s that word I’m looking for?”

Derek matched his step, then took another one all while looking at him with an unimpressed look, “Over-dramatic.”

Stiles bumped against the door, giving him a weak glare, “Vulnerable if he attacks me I am mince-meat.”

Derek grinned, and Stiles swore his eyes sparkled. They fucking sparkled.

_How was this guy even real?_

“I will be there Stiles; he won’t be able to get close enough even to touch you.”

“Gee, thanks, that’s so comforting.” He snarked, rolling his eyes.

Then he reached up and tugged at the ends of his hair, “Look, you need to take care of this. It’s werewolf business, or whatever.”

Derek shook his head, sliding his hands into the pocket of his jacket, “I’ve tried. I taught him every trick I know, but it’s not helping.”

“How could it not be working? You have a whole pack of teenage werewolves, all of which were turned violently. You taught them somehow.”

Derek shrugged, “I don’t know why it’s not working, I just know it isn’t. That’s why I need you.”

Derek stepped forward again until they were, more or less in the same position that this all started in, Stiles against a door and the Alpha blocking him in.

The wolf reached out and tapped Stiles' chest, “You trained him before, maybe you can do it again.”

What Stiles did wasn’t what you would call training. The boy reflected on his ‘training’ process. Of stealing the coach’s phone and heart monitor, of chucking lacrosse balls at him, and of keying the local jocks truck. He had essentially abused his friend, repeatedly until something seemed to click in the young wolfs head. After that day he never had trouble with control again. Stiles had asked him what happened, but Scott would go quiet his face lighting with a hint of mischief, then change the subject.

Before Stiles had the chance to respond the wolf spoke up again, “There’s a pack meeting tomorrow, be there.”

Stiles jerked, excuse you?

“I’m busy tomorrow.”

Derek took a hand out of his pocket placing in next to Stiles’ head leaning against it, his eyebrows raising, “Doing what?”

Stiles glared, trying to cover for himself, “Doing things, stuff. Look I’ll talk to Scott tomorrow, there is no need for me to be at the pack meeting.”

Derek pushed off the door and headed towards the window, “There is another reason you need to be there.”

Stiles ignored how suddenly cold he felt and scoffed, “What’s that?”

Derek had a hand on the window seal as he turned half around, looking serious, “The flowers Stiles.”

Stiles deflated a little, “I already told you what happened.”

Derek nodded still looking slightly scary, “Yes, and you will repeat it the whole pack.”

Stiles gritted his teeth.

_God, he was bipolar._

“I’m not part of your Pack Derek.”

He watched as the Alpha’s head tilted a little, then he smirked at the boy, “See you tomorrow.” Stiles jerked when he heard a car pull in to their drive, his father was home. Stiles turned and yanked open his bedroom door. “Not likely.”

“And Stiles,” He turned around to see Derek with one leg out the window, straddling the window frame. His green eyes glinted in the moonlight from outside the window, “You are apart of the pack, whether you like it or not.”

And with that, he was gone.

Stiles stood there staring at where he once was until the front door opened and slammed shut. He jumped, then made a face at the open window.

“Well, jokes on you wolfy! I don’t know where this stupid pack meeting is or what time. So, hah!”

Satisfied that he got the last word on the subject he turned and trotted downstairs to greet his father.

“Hi Ho! What’s up Daddy’o?”

He walked into the kitchen and smiled when he saw his dad carrying take-out bags.

“You brought food! You do love me!” Stiles made gabby hands toward the food.

His father smiled, “Hey, kid.”

Stiles grinned and caught the bag his father tossed at him.

“I stopped on the way home, figured that you spent the whole day at Deaton’s anyway.”

Stiles nodded, throwing himself onto one of the kitchen chairs, and dumping the take-out bag. Inhaling the greasy goodness. This was what he needed.

The sheriff sat down in a more refined manner, digging into his own bag but at a slower pace than his son. Lifting a fry out of the bag he chowed down before glancing at his son, “So how was school?”

Stiles paused mid-bite of his burger, _shit._

Finishing his mouthful, he looked at his father, “I was okay.”

John cocked his head, appraising his son, “Did something happen?”

Stiles looked down at his food, shrugging.

He didn’t want to tell his father, but he wasn’t going to lie either. After dealing with the rouge alpha and almost dying in the process, Stiles decided to tell his father everything. It was hard at first. His father thought he had gone off the deep end. Even taking him back to the hospital to have him checked up again. Making sure he didn’t have farther head trauma which he didn’t. It took some convincing and watching Scott shift into his puppy shape, but now his father not only knew everything but believed it too.  
After telling him all that, letting it fly about some crazy flowers should be a cakewalk, but Stiles’ found himself hesitating. He didn’t want his father to freak out.

“Stiles.”

He winced at his father’s tone. This was going to be fun.

He put his sandwich back down and met the tired, soft blue eyes of his father. They were so different from his own. In fact, everything was different on them; it was hard to tell they were father and son. His dad always said he looked like his mother.

“I found flowers in my locker today.” He fiddled with his fingers.

His father sighed, “Was it, Greenburg?”

Stiles let out a surprised laugh; maybe he had more of his father in him than he initially thought.

“No, but that was my first guess too. Let’s just say it’s a good thing I didn’t go and talk to Scott today.”

His father put down his own sandwich, resting his arms on the table and scrutinizing his son, “Why is that?”

Stiles sighed, “The flowers were a rare form of wolfsbane.”

The sheriff frowned, “It still could have been Greenburg. He just picked the wrong kind of flowers.”

“Again, that’s what I thought, but Deaton told me that this form of the flower is no longer growing in the wild.”

He rocked his chair, so it was balancing on the back legs, “Deaton said acquiring this stuff is nearly impossible, and if you do find a supplier. Well, you better be a millionaire or close to it.”

John pushed his food away and crossed his arms, “Werewolves are allergic to that stuff right, but they won't die unless you shoot them with it. That’s what you told me.”

He pointed at his father, “Yep, but because this stuff is so rare, it causes them to lose control. Just being around these plants causes them to turn into killing machines. Or at least that’s what Deaton told me.”

His father reached up and rubbed his eyes, “Shit.”

Stiles tapped the table, “Yup!”

Picking up a fry and eating it, the older man grunted, “Well that explains the phone call I just received from Melissa.”

Stiles cocked his head and raised his brow.

The sheriff nodded, “Yeah, I know. Anyway, she insisted we come over tomorrow night. Said something about a barbeque and pack meeting.”

_Just…. God Dammit!_

His chair slammed to the floor, “Are you kidding me?”

Now it was his father’s turn to cock his head, “No, that’s why it took me so long to walk into the house. I was talking to her.”

“Well? What did you say?”

Now he rolled his eyes, “I told her I don’t know, Stiles.”

“I told her I would talk to you.”

Stiles glared, no wonder Derek seemed so cocky when he left. He had been listening in on his father’s conversation, which is rude by the way. He knew the Sheriff was going to ask Stiles.

“Well, how do you want to play it, kid?”

Stiles continued to glare at the table, but muttered, “We should go.”

John raised his brows, “We don’t have to.”

Stiles huffed and shook his head, “As much as it pains me t admit it, Derek and Deaton are right, I need to tell the others about what happened because it affects them too.”

“Wait, Derek?”

Stiles glanced up and nodded, pulling a sour face, “Yeah, he stopped by today to hear from me about what happened. He also told me some things.”

His father, frowned, “What things?”

He shrugged, “Nothing important, besides you were right,”

“About?”

“I need to talk with Scott.”

Looking over his shoulder, Stiles smiled at the bucket of Lacrosse balls still sitting by the garage door. Before turning back to his father and smiling.

John frowned at him but joined in when the boy started eating again. They finished up dinner talking about ordinary things and just enjoying being in each other’s presence. All

the while, Stiles was grinning evilly on the inside thinking one thing.

_I have a werewolf to train._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?  
> Hope it was worth the wait!  
> Next chapter we will dive into the mystery of the killer flowers and see if Stiles and Scott can work things out...  
> Although if Stiles is going to help Scott learn control, doesn't that mean that he and Derek are going to spend a lot of time together???  
> We'll see, won't we!!!!!!  
> Let me know your thoughts, comments, or concerns!!!!!!  
> Thanks, Guys!!!!!  
> Love ya bunches!!!!!!

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys!  
> This is a new fanfic that I just had bouncing around in my head and couldn't wait to get out there! So, a couple notes that I need to get out there are that this is a slow build relationship but it won't be to slow so don't worry and that this fanfic will involve a possessive Derek and a reluctant Stiles. I never really saw Stiles as the type to go headlong into a relationship, especially with someone like Derek. Please Enjoy and let me know what ya'll think!!!


End file.
